The Man In Black
by NerdyGerl
Summary: The sequel to If I Needed Someone. The Brennans' learn what a family truly is. Lucy is back in a brand new adventure!
1. Prologue: The Man Comes Around

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Well, It's a Sunday and it is time to begin the hopefully highly anticipated sequel to If I Needed Someone. If you haven't read it yet, you probably want to go back and take a look at it. Enjoy.

The Man in Black

Prologue: The Man Comes Around

Summer 2002

Six year old Lucy Brennan was frustrated. She had spent the past twenty minutes playing this carnival game and she was doing poorly. It was a simple game, aim the squirt gun at the target, and whoever got the most water in the clown's mouth the fastest would win a prize. She had played three games and come in dead last three times. Despite her few years of life, failure was not something she was used to. Her mother or her Aunt Angela were always around to help her succeed. But her mother wasn't here. Her mother was in Africa for the entire month, the longest amount of time that they had ever been separated. Her mother always took trips in the summer, first working on her degrees and now helping people. She was too young to realize that her mother was dealing with mass murder victims, or was putting her own life in peril to give justice and faces to victims. All that Lucy knew was that she missed her mother.

Lucy spun on her stool and faced Angela who had been standing behind her and giving the man who worked the booth a dollar every few minutes. "Aunt Angela? How much longer until Mommy comes home?"

"Two more weeks, Sweetie. Not even. Eleven days, and we get to pick her up at the airport."

"Eleven whole days? But I miss her, now. I want her to come home."

"Tomorrow is Sunday, you know that you will get a phone call from her. And in eleven days she will have awesome souvenirs for you. Remember the bracelets she brought us, or that doll from her last trip?"

"I know, I just miss her. Africa is really far away."

"It is, come on, Sweetie. Cheer up. They are starting a new round. I've got a good feeling about this try." Angela handed the barker another dollar.

As the worker made a last call for entry into this round, an older man took the last available stool, which happened to be one next to Lucy and brandished his own dollar. He glanced at the girl and nodded at her. "Hey, kid." Suddenly shy, Lucy turned away and focused on the game. Music chimed and lights blinked and the race was on. Lucy finished a respectable third to last, but the man next to her had beat everyone, in what seemed like record time. The kid manning the booth handed him a key chain, first congratulating the man and then telling him if he won three in a row, he could have any one of the toys hanging from the top of the booth. The man pulled out two more dollars and then started up a conversation with the girl as the barker started calling for more game players.

"Next round's on me, OK kid?"

Lucy looked nervously and Aunt Angela and then whispered, "I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."

The man chuckled, "You are right." He glanced at the two companions. "Sorry, its just I have a granddaughter about your age, I don't get to see her much. You just reminded me of her." He made an apologetic face at Angela. She nodded to Lucy, it was going to be all right. The man was nice.

She patted his arm. "I'm sorry you don't get to see your granddaughter much. It must be hard." Further conversation was stopped by the game starting again. Once again the man won easily. Lucy had come in several slots behind him, improving slightly, but still she was disappointed that she had not come close to winning.

Lucy glanced at the man. "Wow, you are really good at this game."

"I can give you some pointers, if that's all right?" Lucy once again glanced towards her aunt.

"It's OK, Luce. I'm right here." The man left his stool and came a little closer to the girl. He showed her how to aim the gun with more accuracy and a trick to hold the trigger so that she could keep the pressure constant. She looked at him with amazement.

"Thanks. I'm going to beat you this time. Aunt Angela, can I have a dollar please?"

"Don't worry about it kid. I've got it." He once again reached into his wallet and pulled out two singles.

The game started one last time and Lucy used her new techniques effectively. She was close to the top, she passed one person ahead of her. She was doing so well, and then it was over. The man to her right had won for the third time. Lucy pouted.

"I was so close."

"You did a great job, kid. You'll get the next one." He smiled at her and waited for the barker to come over and give him his prize. The man whispered to the worker and pointed secretly at which toy he wanted. Two seconds later the barker was unhooking a stuffed dolphin from the chain it had been hanging on. The kid handed it to the man, who quickly handed it to Lucy.

"Here you go, kid. You deserve it." Lucy's eyes grew wide in disbelief. She hugged the body to her chest.

"Really? It's for me?"

"Sure, kid. Do you like it? I'm sure you could get a different one if you wanted it."

"No, its perfect. Dolphins are my favorite! How did you know?" The man looked sad for a moment and then smiled widely.

"My wife and my daughter both loved dolphins. I told you that you reminded me of my granddaughter. I thought that she would like dolphins too."

"Thank you, mister. How come you don't get to see your granddaughter?"

Angela placed gently pressure on Lucy's shoulder. Bluntness was a Brennan trait. Angela turned to the man. "I'm sorry. You don't have to answer that. Lucy hasn't mastered the art of tact yet." The man chuckled.

"No problem. I had to go away when my daughter was young. I thought that I was doing the right thing, but because of that I don't get to see my daughter or my granddaughter."

"I'm sorry, Mister. It's too bad that you don't get to see them. You are really nice. Isn't he nice Aunt Angela?" Angela nodded and then thanked the man for his kindness as Lucy once again squeezed the dolphin and then kissed it on the top of its head, right where the blowhole would be on a real dolphin.

"No problem, kid. You ladies have a nice day." He got off of his stool and began to walk away, he paused when he heard a small voice behind him.

"Hey Mister, what should I call him? He's your dolphin, you should name him." The man knelt down to her eye level and ruffled her hair once.

"Call him Max."


	2. Foolish Questions

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Well, It's a Sunday and it is time to begin the hopefully highly anticipated sequel to If I Needed Someone. If you haven't read it yet, you probably want to go back and take a look at it. Enjoy.

Chapter 1: Foolish Questions

May 3, 2006 The Jeffersonian Institution

Lucy Brennan sat in her mother's office, waiting for her mother to finish a consultation on the lab platform. It had been a long day, and as her stomach growled, she realized that it would probably be even longer. Eventually, her mother came into the office, offering apologies that her meeting had run late. Lucy waved aside her mother's concern, but Dr. Brennan noticed that her daughter was still preoccupied. "Luce, what is wrong?"

"Nothing, I had a bad day at school."

"Elaborate, please."

"Mrs. Sykes failed me on my school project."

"I wasn't aware that you had any projects due. I would have been more than willing to assist you."

Lucy sighed and then looked her mother straight in the eye. "I didn't want your help." She then looked uncomfortable, feeling worse about her own bad grade because of the hurt look on her mother's face.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I just didn't want to bother you. We had to make a family tree for school. I know that it makes you sad, so I didn't tell you about it. I'm really sorry." Brennan nodded and forced down her own feelings of guilt and inadequacy, the feelings that she had been attempting to bury for fifteen years.

"May I see your project?"

"Sure, Mom." Lucy opened her backpack, pulled out a folder and handed a neat chart to her mother. Had she been anyone but Temperance Brennan she would of laughed. In the center was a picture of Lucy, right above that was Temperance's own name and picture. But no other blood relatives were mentioned on the paper. Brennan's eyes were drawn the the heading on the paper, "My Lab Family Tree." In large, neat font and accompanied by a picture was Booth and a line drawn down to Parker's smiling image. Angela and "Uncle Billy" were connected to each other. Lucy had drawn a dotted line from Angela to Hodgins and had left a space labelled "for future offspring." Zack, Eleanor and Dr. Goodman hovered towards the outside of the paper. Images of the Jeffersonian and Hoover decorated the rest of the empty space on the paper and Lucy had hand drawn an outline of a tree connecting everything.

"Lucy, this is very neatly done, but it is very inaccurate."

"I know, Hodgins and Aunt Angela aren't dating yet, but he likes her. And Aunt Angela always tells me that she wants a million babies, and I had an open space on the tree." Lucy grinned at her mother. "Anyway, I liked this one better than the official one, so it's the one that I turned in." Lucy pulled out a wrinkled paper from the bottom of her bag. Brennan smoothed the paper as she looked at it. Lucy's name was at the bottom and up one side of the tree was Temperance and Russ, connected to Matthew and Christine Brennan. The other side went to Thomas Andrews, sibling to Eva and Robert IV and son of Patricia and Robert III. There was also a line connecting him to his three of his four grandparents.

"Lucy, where did you get this information?"

Her response was a whisper. "I can use a computer. I looked up Dad's obituary. He has a bunch of aunts and uncles and cousins, but their names weren't listed."

"You shouldn't have done that."

"That's why I made up the other tree. And I like it better. Booth told me that there was more than one type of family. I tried to tell Mrs. Sykes that this is my family, but she told me that if I didn't redo the project, then I had to take an F. Also she doesn't believe me that I know Uncle Billy. She's so mean sometimes."

Brennan's head jerked up in surprise at Lucy's statement. "Booth told you that there is more than one kind of family?"

"Well, yeah. And you've got to give it to him, Mom. He rescued me from Miller. He was with me in the kitchen when that bomb in the refrigerator went off. If he hadn't knocked me out of the way, I could have been..."

"I know what would have happened, Lucy." Brennan's face was pale and drawn, but Lucy did not notice as she continued talking.

"And remember at Christmas time when we all got locked in the lab and he made me a present? And he flew down to New Orleans to make sure that you were OK and made sure that you didn't get in trouble for something that you didn't do. Even if you won't tell me anything about it, I know that he did something big for you. And he took us to that baseball game, and that hockey game. And he's going to take me to a football game this fall and a basketball game this winter, too. And he buys me ice cream and pie. He's the best dad in the world, even if he isn't genetically related to me."

Brennan flinched at the reference of Booth being her father. Booth had been a constant presence in their life ever since the murder of Joseph Wells. He was an excellent partner in her line of work. They had solved unsolvable cases and found justice for many people. But they were far more than work colleagues. He had been there for some terrifying moments, he had been injured repeatedly protecting her, and protecting Lucy. She still remembered clinging to him when he had pulled her off of that hook in the warehouse. She had felt so weak and needy, holding on to him for dear life. And he had kissed her forehead and told her that everything would be all right. And she had believed him and they had shared an ambulance to the hospital. Brennan and Lucy had then spent the night by his bedside watching television reruns and eating pudding.

If Brennan was going to be truthful with herself, she would have to admit that she and Lucy were growing dependent on him. No, that wasn't the truth, they were dependent on him, already. She would have to work at reestablishing boundaries. Booth had already demolished too many of her walls. She had to protect her own heart as well as her daughter's. She became aware that Lucy was staring at her. She looked down at her daughter, and unable to share her thoughts, she glanced at the tree again while attempting to smile.

"So that would make Parker your 'brother' I take it?" Lucy gave her mother a winning smile.

"Yes. Do you think that you could call Mrs. Sykes? I don't want to hand in the other tree." She pointed to her lab tree. "That is our family, Mom. Isn't it?" Brennan smiled.

"I suppose it is. I'll talk to Mrs. Sykes, but just so you know, even if she doesn't change your grade, I am very proud of you. I know that I'm not much family to you, but..."

"But, Mom, you are everything to me. I wouldn't have all of these other people in my life if it wasn't for you. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you." She grabbed her mother and squeezed her tightly, trying to say with a hug all the words that would never be good enough.

"Don't be melodramatic. I think you have been spending too much time with Angela lately. I've been so busy with the FBI, maybe I should take a break from those cases, focus on the skeletons in storage for awhile." Lucy looked horrified at the prospect.

"No, don't do that. You like working with Booth and helping with those cases. We still spend lots of time together. I'm really proud of everything that you do, Mom. It's really cool. I get to brag to everyone in school at what a great job you have. Don't give it up."

"I won't give up working with the FBI, but if you ever think that my work is affecting our relationship, you have to tell me. I am always here for you. I'll never leave you."

"I know that." Lucy hugged her mother. "I love you, Mom."

Brennan's throat felt tight as she responded. "I love you too, Lucy."

"Can we go home? It was a long day."

"Yes, just let me gather my papers."

"Mom, do you think that Booth wants to come over for dinner tonight? He hasn't been over in three whole days." Brennan sighed to herself and handed Lucy her cell phone.

"By all means, give him a call. Tell him to pick up Thai food and have him order extra mee krob, between the two of you, I barely got any last time."

"Sounds like a plan." Brennan sighed, setting up boundaries would just have to wait another night.


	3. Send A Picture Of Mother

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Well, It's Wednesday and it is posting time. Thanks for all of the reviews/alerts/favorites. They mean so much to me. Reviews would mean so much to me, I got some bad family news this week, and I could use the pick me ups.

Dialogue comes from The Woman in Limbo. I did not write it, I do not own it, I only borrow and humbly grovel at the feet of the Bones' writers' room. I know that this chapter is very dialogue heavy, but it's necessary in order to set the scene. Enjoy.

Chapter 2: Send A Picture Of Mother

May 5, 2006 The Jeffersonian Institution

A frazzled Brennan was searching throughout her office for paperwork. The day had not started off well. Lucy was usually an early riser, but had been so caught up in a book the night before that she had stayed up too late and was impossible to get out of bed that morning. Brennan's morning meeting with Lucy's teacher had not gone well as Brennan had lost her temper with Mrs. Sykes' unreasonable requests. In the end, Lucy had volunteered to do an extra credit project for her social studies class instead of submitting her technically correct family tree. With the one issue resolved, Brennan's day had not gotten any better when her publicist had called wanting to schedule some interviews. The publicist had insisted that the "true life" inspiration for Andy Lister should be involved, and Brennan had unceremoniously hung up on the woman and ignored the two subsequent calls.

So, all in all, she was not in the mood for misplaced files twenty minutes before she was supposed to be in court. She had already been rummaging for five minutes and wondering who would have the audacity to move something on her desk. Lucy had been in the office the previous evening, but knew better than to disturb any file. Booth hadn't been around and her team hadn't been in her office. She was still perplexed and frustrated when Dr. Goodman had entered into the office.

"All I ask is that you stop by the archeology section and identify the skull as a Syrian, Hetite or Egyptian." He had looked at her hopefully, but she hadn't even made eye contact with him.

"I'm in court today. I need my notes."

Smiling slightly, Goodman tried again to get her attention. "Well, there's a photocopy in the file."

Brennan finally looked at the man with a withering stare that made him wish that this matter wasn't so pressing to him personally.

"No. The last time I read from photocopies, the defense lawyer told the jury I was winging it."

Before Goodman could respond, Brennan's ire was further raised by Booth's appearance. "Ready? Chop, chop." Booth clapped his hands and Brennan decided that one last pass around her desk would be a better use of her time than greeting him properly.

"I can't find my original notes…"

He shrugged, "Photocopy in the file." He didn't think that she would even need her notes. She was brilliant, and knew the case backwards and forwards. Still, they were short on time as it was.

She still was not satisfied with that answer, "No. The last time the defense lawyer told the jury that I…"

Booth cut her off, "It was a ploy. It failed. Let's go." Booth helped her out of her lab coat and into her jacket. She reluctantly let Booth guide her out of the office, not happy about having to use the copies but completely out of time. Still their progress out of the lab was halted by Hodgins.

"I found glass. I found pollen. Which do you want first?"

Instantly, Brennan responded with a "pollen." Goodman had trailed behind the partners and was still trying to get Brennan's attention. "Perhaps you could swing by archeology on your way to your ah...court."

Booth was having none of it, "No. No swinging." Booth rubbed the back of his neck as Angela joined the ragtag parade next to the platform.

Angela didn't even acknowledge the others as she went directly for her friend. "Alright. Her height makes no sense and her spine length is...wacky."

Booth nearly screamed in frustration when Zack called to Brennan from the platform. "Dr. Brennan?"

Brennan was an excellent multi-tasker and while acknowledging Zack she finished her conversation with Angela, ignoring the other three men.

"OK, calculate the height off the femur and assume that fire shrunk her spine."

Booth tried desperately to get her attention again. Even with sirens, they would be cutting it awfully close to making it on time. "I don't think you should talk about other cases so much on court day. You might get confused." He knew that she would never be confused about a case, but she looked at him pointedly and he was happy that at least he could still get her attention.

Dr. Goodman still could not be dissuaded, although he was still being ignored. "One simple question. A Syrian, Hetite or Egyptian?"

Zack called again from the platform, "Dr. Brennan?"

Goodman, usually unflappable, was after all in charge, "Five Minutes." Still he was forgotten in the shuffle.

Booth glanced at his watch, needlessly, "Bones!"

But Brennan had already slid her card and entered onto the platform. She addressed her assistant, "What's up?"

Zack, ever oblivious, spoke rapidly. "Buttercup. If you sign off on these tissues markers, Angela can finish the facial reconstruction."

Brennan looked at him, perplexed. "Why did you say buttercup?"

Zack addressed his boss, "What's up, buttercup is an amusing, rhyming, linguistic meme. This is the latest Jane Doe from Limbo." He pointed to the skull.

Booth joined Brennan on the platform, "How about this for an amusing, rhyming linguini. See ya later, alligator."

Goodman had decided that it was time to reassert himself as the man in charge, "Please don't refer to bones storage as 'Limbo.'" He glanced towards the anthropologist. "Five minutes."

Zack continued, "There are thousands of human remains down there waiting to be identified. Limbo seems an appropriate name."

Brennan examined the skull, "No sign of foul play."

Goodman sighed, "If you have time for this, you have time for my Hetite."

Once again, Brennan forgot that she even had a boss as she took once last glance at the skull. "Tissue depth of the cheekbones and along the jaw line looks a little deep to me, but otherwise..."

Booth finally cracked, he took Brennan by the elbow, lucky that she was distracted enough not to punch him in the jaw as he guided her out into the hallway. "Out of limbo, back on earth and on our way to court. Thanks."

They had nearly made it out of the lab when her phone rang. Groaning, she picked it up, despite the death glare from Booth.

"Ellen, I'm sorry about earlier. I'm on my way to court. I don't have time to deal with the interview schedule now. I will talk to you when I am done testifying. But no, Agent Booth will not be joining me for any interviews." Brennan had tried to hang up on the publicist, but Booth had grabbed the phone out of her hand, suddenly interested in the phone call.

"Hi, Is this Bones' publicist? Special Agent Seeley Booth here, what is this about interviews?"

An excited voice nearly deafened the agent and he pulled it away from his ear, opting for the speaker function on the phone. "Agent Booth. Nice to finally hear your voice. Listen, Dr. Brennan, I read your manuscript. I couldn't wait to tell you how great it is."

Brennan usually had no time for the woman, but despite herself she was flattered, "Thank you. Really?"

Booth frowned, "You read her manuscript?"

Ellen continued, "Her second novel. Bone Free. It's kinda like "Born Free" except no lions. I've had access to the book so that I can set up the most profitable situations for our best-selling authoress."

"Yuck on the title. Am I in it?" He grinned into the phone, forgetting all about their court appointment.

Simultaneously, Ellen said "definitely" as Brennan stammered a "no."

Booth smirked as Brennen attempted to wrestle the phone out of his hand, "Uh, we have to get to court."

Ellen remembered a lunch meeting from several months ago after a court date, and spoke, "Hope you remembered your original notes, because last time..."

Brennan slapped Booth's arm and forgetting her phone, ran back towards her office. She called over her shoulder, "Told you, Booth!"

He turned off the phone, hanging up on the publicist for her second time that day and called after his partner. "Bones. We don't have time! Our... all right, listen. Uh, Three minutes. I'll wait for you in the car."

He stood awkwardly in the hallway for a moment, wondering if he needed to chase after her. His gut twisted when he heard the alarms in the lab go off. He doubled back to the lab, determined that whatever distraction that would inevitably be in the lab now would not slow his partner down. He saw no one on the platform, but saw a crowd gathered in Angela's office.

Booth addressed the group that had gathered by the Angelator, glancing around for the scientist. "Any of you see Bones? We're due in court, like, hello, now." They stared at him, "What?"

Angela sighed as she powered up her imager, "This...totally freaked her out."

Booth heard some background whispering as he pulled out his own phone and dialed, "You're gonna want to take Dr. Brennan off the witness list today. No. She can't make it into court. Thanks."

Angela looked very concerned, "Alright. What's going on?"

Booth glanced at the floating picture, "That… Is Christine Brennan."

Goodman and Zack were just as stunned, but only the doctor spoke. "Good God."

Booth whispered, but his voice carried. "You just found Bones' mother."


	4. Mama, You've Been On My Mind

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Happy Sunday everyone. Not much to say except that the dialogue once again comes from The Woman in Limbo. I did not write it, I do not own it, I only borrow and humbly grovel at the feet of the Bones' writers' room. I'm trying not to lean to heavily on the script, but some scenes just need to be there. Enjoy.

Chapter 3: Mama, You've Been On My Mind

May 5, 2006 The Jeffersonian Institution

Booth paused outside his partner's office door. She was sitting at a table and gently stroking a silver object in her hands. He wasn't sure what the object represented, exactly, but he knew that it was something very precious. He started to walk into the office but paused again. What was he going to say to her?

He flashed back to various memories of their near ten month partnership. He remembered their dinner "date" where she had first mentioned being abandoned by her parents. He remembered her face as she talked to a young and frightened boy, identifying and empathizing with her own foster care experiences. He remembered her finally experiencing a Christmas after years of trying to ignore its existence. He remembered her shyly handing him a file and asking him to look into her parents' disappearance.

Finally, he remembered handing over her own mother's earring, restoring the jewelry to its owner. And he remembered how she had looked at him when he had given her back one of the few possessions that she had managed to hold onto despite dishonest foster siblings and foster parents who would have let their own greed overcome her sentimentality.

He sighed, he had been staring at her as these scenes flashed in front of him. She still stroked the silver object and he took a few tentative steps forward. In the time that they had known each other she had slowly opened up to him. _Slower than molasses _he mused, ruefully. He hoped that this would be one of those times when she wouldn't bottle up her emotions, that she would tell him what was going on in that genius mind of hers.

She didn't look up as she addressed him, but she knew that he was there. She had sensed that he had been there, watching her. She sniffled as she spoke, "I have to miss court."

Booth's tone was gentle as he responded, "I know."

She held out the object, and he now saw that it was a belt buckle engraved with a dolphin. He didn't need her explanation, but she gave it anyway. "I remember this belt buckle. I borrowed it without asking first day of high school. My father had it specially made for my mother because she loved dolphins."

She didn't need his condolences, but he gave them anyway. "Bones…I'm sorry."

Brennan closed her eyes and could see her parents driving away, in good spirits, just off to buy a few last minute gifts before Christmas. "I always knew that for my parents to disappear like that they... They had to be dead. I thought that when it was confirmed, I'd feel relief, but..."

As usual, Booth knew what she meant, "It's still bad news." He placed a palm on her shoulder, and she snaked up her own cold hand to cover his warm one. He wanted to pull her in for a hug, to offer any comfort that she desired, but before he could allow any other impulses to overtake him, they were interrupted.

Zack said nothing, but Brennan noticed his appearance and made her way towards him, letting the belt buckle clink softly on the table. She extended out her arm, demanding the manila folder that he was holding. "You have the file, Zack?"

Zack summarized as he handed the file to her, "Jane Doe, Number 129-0998."

Brennan took the folder, but did not open it, "Where was she found?"

Booth tried to stop this from happening. This woman on the platform was not a Jane Doe, it was Brennan's mother. She shouldn't have to deal with the details. "Bones, I..."

She did not want his sympathy, not right now. She knew that he would want her to discuss her emotions, to let her "heart" override her "brain." But it wasn't necessary. She needed to focus on the facts. She could fall apart later, at home, in bed. Now it was all about work. "What does it say?"

Zack felt no compunction to break news gently. He just gave the facts. "In September of 1998, a grave-digging crew at the Sunset Memory Cemetery in Salisbury, Pennsylvania, uncovered human remains in a completely advanced stage of decomposition."

Booth had not seen the file yet, and even he was curious. "Is it from a grave?"

"No. It appears that somebody just dug a hole at the edge of the cemetery and…plopped the body in there."

Brennan sank into her office chair. She took a steadying breath. She told herself again that she would not fall apart now, she _would not_ fall apart. Booth did not miss her expression, "Zack…." he said with a warning tone that for once was understood.

"Sorry. The local coroner found no obvious evidence of foul play and sent the remains, a few artifacts and soil samples to the Jeffersonian, hoping we could identify her. Technically, your mother's been at the Jeffersonian as long as you have."

Booth had to warn the student again, as Brennan reached for her partner's hand. She did not even to seem to realize that she had grabbed it. Her hand was still cold as he laced their fingers together. Booth warned the assistant again, but this time Zack seemed only vaguely aware of his poor manners.

"Sorry. But they both got here in 1998."

Brennan's hand pulled away from Booth as Goodman entered the office, offering his own words of condolences. Brennan bristled, but said nothing. The doctor explained that Angela would take her home. Brennan didn't move until Booth firmly pressed on her shoulder and told her to go home. She took the folder and her bag and started to exit her office. She had brushed past Goodman and Zack when she stopped at the door and turned around, extending an arm to use the frame as support. Despite the fact that there were three people in the room, Brennan's comments were only for Booth.

"How am I going to tell Lucy? I don't know what to say. I won't say it right. What am I going to do?"

In a few strides Booth had pushed the archaeologist and the assistant out of the way and had his partner firmly wrapped in his strong arms. She was slightly surprised at the gesture, but allowed herself to feel his comfort and warmth. She rested her head on his shoulder as he spoke to her in a soothing tone.

"I'll get her after school. Pick her up. I'll tell her, that is if you want me to. Otherwise, I'll pick her up and bring her home, and sit next to you while you tell her. Whatever you want, just tell me. I'd do anything for you, Temperance." He released his partner, cursing himself for his stupidity, for allowing his emotions to be so obvious to everybody in the lab. She was going to freak out, he had gone too far. He squinted, waiting for the inevitable slap, but Brennan just gave him a half smile.

"Take Angela with you, please. Lucy should have both of you with her."

Angela had just made her way to the gathering in the office, jingling her keys. She made eye contact with Booth as she silently agreed to meet him back at the lab, and together they would get Lucy and break the news.

Booth glanced one last time at his partner. "You sure that you don't want Angela to stay with you? I don't want you to be alone right now."

"No, I'll be fine. I want you both with her. You are both so good with her, and she'll need the support. Please, Booth." He nodded and guided her to Angela's side, where the artist linked arms with her best friend and led her from the lab.

Booth watched them leave and turned to the team. "Zack get me a copy of that file. I'd like to take a look at it." Zack nodded and left the room. Goodman patted the agent on the shoulder as he too exited the office, trying to find Hodgins. He had to spread the news, and assign the soil samples to the scientist. Booth turned to the table and picked up the evidence bags that Brennan had left behind. He gathered them together and he too went to find Hodgins. But he was already mentally rehearsing what he was going to say to the small girl and what he could say to the little lost girl that still lived inside his partner.


	5. These Things Shall Pass

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Happy Wednesday everyone. It's a busy week for me, and I should be sleeping. But I posted this instead. Enjoy.

Chapter 4: These Things Shall Pass

May 5, 2006 Martha Washington Elementary Academy

Angela returned to the lab, where she was first met by Hodgins. The entomologist wrapped her in a quick hug, knowing that she too was suffering because of her best friend's loss. Angela pecked his cheek and checked her watch. She and Booth needed to leave the lab soon, or they would miss Lucy at school. She needn't have worried, Booth was exiting out of Brennan's office, talking rapidly on his cell phone. He signaled to the artist and walked toward the parking structure. She shrugged at Hodgins and followed Booth out of the lobby.

She had wanted to talk to Booth about Brennan and Lucy, trying to decide what they were going to do, but he remained on the phone the entire time, talking with various FBI contacts. He was all business, and to be honest, she found his take charge attitude a little hot. She smiled to herself and stared out of the window of Booth's SUV. She wondered how they could still be so clueless. If it was the last thing she did, she was going to make sure that her best friend and her best friend's partner realized...

"Stop that, Angela." He had finally hung up the phone as he had pulled into the parking lot of Lucy's fancy private school.

"Stop what, Studly?" She batted her eyes at him.

"It isn't the time or the place for your Yenta impression."

Angela chuckled and then began to sing-song. "Matchmaker, matchmaker make me a match. You know, it is nice to talk to someone who understands that reference. Although a yenta has an anthropoligical role in many communities, Brennan might actually get that one."

Booth smiled back. "She's bound to get one sometime." He rolled down his window, allowing a slight breeze to enter into the SUV. In the distance he heard the final bell ring. Booth rolled his eyes, Lucy deserved the best education that she could get, but still, places like this gave him the creeps. He sighed, "How do we do this?"

"I don't know. She never knew her grandmother..."

"But she knows her mother. She's going to know how much Bones is hurting. She's a good kid." Booth paused and seemed to be talking more to himself than to the artist. "We will get through this. This too shall pass." He gave Angela a small smile and she took the opportunity to needle him one more time.

"And maybe someday?"

"Angela." He warned as he simultaneously prayed for strength. He had just seen Lucy exit the building, chatting with a tall blond girl about something. They were both laughing. With his ever sharp eyes, Booth also noticed that a boy with brown hair and brown eyes who looked like he would be a passable peewee football player following the two girls. The boy stopped on the stairwell behind the girls as he stared after them. Booth wasn't sure which girl the boy was interested in, but then the blond girl ran off to her mother and the boy continued to stare at Lucy. She seemed to notice that the boy was standing behind her, watching her. She turned back and waved at him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before turning back around and skipping away. He looked elated as she made her way to her bus.

"Like mother, like daughter." Angela mused. Booth loosened his tie and unbuttoned his top button.

"OK, Yenta. Let's go." Angela sobered as she remembered what their true purpose was. They each sighed one last time and opened their respective doors.

The flash of movement from the parking lot caught Lucy's eye. She took one look at Angela and Booth exiting the SUV and panicked. Something must be very wrong. She tried to say something, to move towards them, but her mouth was glued shut and her feet were frozen to the ground. Luckily, they were calling for her and walking towards her. Angela scooped the girl into a tight hug.

"Aunt Angela, what's wrong? Where's Mom? Is she hurt? Tell me now. Tell me!" Poor Lucy's thoughts had turned to the absolute worst conclusion before Booth responded.

"Squirt, you're mom is fine. Physically, anyway. She got some news today and..." Booth paused. Thirty seconds earlier she had been so happy, and now he had to take that happiness away.

Angela finished the sentence, "And we needed to tell you so we came to pick you up from school." Booth noticed an empty bench and scooping the girl out of Angela's arms he led the group to the seat.

"Lucy, you know what your grandparents disappeared when your mother was fifteen?" Lucy nodded. Booth stopped talking and looked to Angela nervously. Would the news be better coming from someone who had known Lucy her entire life? Or would she lash out at the deliverer of the bad news? Should he bear the brunt of whatever reaction she might have? He sighed and continued, holding out a small computer printing.

"This was your grandmother, Christine Brennan. This morning Angela did a facial reconstruction on a set of bones from storage. This was the result. I'm sorry, Squirt. Your mother did the identification."

Lucy swallowed and looked between her mother's friends. "Is she very sad?"

Angela answered, "Yes. She is. She probably will be for a long time, but it will get easier, and she will feel better."

"And you will both be there for her?" Booth took one of the girl's hands.

"We will all be here for her. She won't be alone. I promise."

There was a rustle behind the small group. The boy from earlier was standing near the bench. He looked sheepish, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but is everything OK? Are you all right, Lucy? I was worried and you look really sad."

Lucy smiled at the boy. "I'll be fine. I just got some bad news, thanks for asking. Oh, Carter, this is my aunt, Angela Montenegro, and my good friend Special Agent Seeley Booth. FBI guy, show him your badge. No one ever believes me when I tell people that I know the FBI." Booth flashed his badge and Carter's jaw dropped. He had never doubted the pretty girl's stories, but the proof overwhelmed him.

Booth turned back to the girl trying to ignore the boy. "Squirt, we should get going. I know that your mom will want to see you."

Angela smiled at the boy, "It was nice to meet you, Carter."

Carter nodded at the artist. "Hey, Lucy, wait." He rummaged in his bag pulling out a slightly flattened Hostess cupcake. "My Dad put an extra one in my lunch by accident. I want you to have it. It should still taste all right. Chocolate always makes my Mom feel better. Sorry, it's squished." He held out the offering and Lucy gently took it. She smiled a brilliant smile and the boy dropped his head and started staring at his shoes. He mumbled, "I'm sorry about your bad news. I hope you feel better soon." A horn honked in the distance. "That's my Dad. I gotta go. Bye, Luce." He ran off as fast as his legs could carry him, thinking that he had just made a fool of himself in front of the smartest and prettiest girl in school.

The three people by the bench watched the boy scamper off. Angela's voice broke the silence. "Booth, stop."

"Stop what, Angela?"

"You are not running a background check on an eleven year old. You do not need to memorize the father's plates."

"Be quiet, Yenta. Come on, Squirt. Let's get you home." Angela caught one last muttering under his breath as he led the women to his car. "What kind of a name is Carter, anyway?" Angela smirked and responded quietly as she led Lucy by the hand.

"It's only two letters away from Parker."

Booth scoffed. "Yeah, well. Parker's name means something. Carter is just so... So trendy."

Angela's voice raised slightly. "Booth, I think you have a few years before you need to worry about boys."

Lucy let go of Angela's hand as she took two giant steps in front of the adults and raised an eyebrow at them. "What are you guys talking about?"

Angela smiled at the girl. "Nothing, Sweetie. Don't worry about it. Booth is being silly. How sad is it that _I'm_ the mature one here?" Booth said nothing as he unlocked the car and opened the door for Angela and Lucy. He closed the door after Angela climbed into the backseat with Lucy, offering the girl some support as Booth took her home. The drive remained silent and quickly they reached the apartment. Lucy insisted that she would be fine going up alone. Both Booth and Angela protested, but Lucy stared them down. Channeling her mother, Lucy set her jaw.

"If my grandmother was in Limbo, that means that there is a mystery about how she died and what happened to her. You need to go back to the lab and solve it. I'll take care of Mom. That's my job. Now you go do yours, please."

The adults nodded, but Booth spoke before letting her go. "You call us if you need anything. Anything at all. You or your Mom. We are all here for you. Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

He winced, "How many times to I have to tell you. Don't call me, sir." She gave him a half smile.

"Sorry, sir. Won't happen again." She got one last kiss and hug from Angela and exited the SUV, running into the apartment building, her backpack flapping behind her.

Angela climbed into the front seat and buckled herself in as Booth drove her back to the lab. She smiled at him, "I'll bring by dinner, you got breakfast?"

He smiled back. "Sounds like a plan, Yenta." He fidgeted a little as he checked his rear view mirror.

Angela sighed. "Go, follow her up, you know you want to. I know you want to make sure that all of your Brennan's are safe. I can wait." Booth nodded and quietly followed the girl up the stairs, staying out of sight. He saw Lucy enter into the apartment and quickly returned to the SUV.

Lucy closed the door behind her, instantly looking for her mother. Brennan was found laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling, a folder on the end table unopened.

No words were necessary as the young girl curled up next to her mother, as Brennan finally allowed her tears to fall.


	6. I Still Miss Someone

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Chapter 5: I Still Miss Someone

May 6, 2006 The Brennans' Apartment

Brennan sat at the table, looking through old family photos. Lucy was unable to decipher her expression. True, her mother had shed some tears earlier, but then she had gotten out of bed and gone into work mode. A few hours ago, Brennan had shut her folders and disappeared into her room, emerging with the photographs. They spent most of the time hidden in a shoe box in the bottom of her closet. She never mentioned them, but they were always there. Lucy had found them once many years ago and looked through them occasionally, but only when there was no chance of her mother discovering that she had been snooping.

As it was now, Lucy sat beside her mother and would take a picture and stare at it. She could see her own image reflected back in the pictures of her mother's childhood. She could see the resemblance between her grandmother and her mother. Lucy hid a yawn as she glanced at a picture from some sort of picnic, taken when Brennan was about Lucy's age. It was already after midnight, but at least it wasn't a school night.

The afternoon and evening had been relatively quiet, interrupted only by Angela bringing over some food, staying only long enough to watch Brennan eat enough to satisfy the artist. She had tried to linger, but Brennan had no interest in talking about her feelings, and there was work to be done. Sighing heavily, Angela had left the apartment hoping that the Brennans were really doing all right, but knowing that doing her job was the only thing that would comfort the small family.

The knock on the door startled both Lucy and Brennan, but it was Brennan who answered the door, shocked that it had gotten so late and she hadn't even noticed. Booth stood at the door holding a box full of food, smiling sheepishly. Lucy waved from the table, and Booth seemed a little surprised that the young girl was still awake. He stood in the doorway, waiting for an invitation to enter.

Brennan's tone seemed perfectly normal as she admonished him. "It's after midnight…"

Booth just smiled, "Well, I was driving by, I saw that lights. I thought you might like some Wong Foo's."

Brennan looked skeptical, and commented. "You saw our lights from the road?"

Booth nodded, "That is correct." The suspicious gaze does not leave her face, but she opened the door wider and invited him in. Lucy was already returning with plates and silverware by the time Brennan closed the door. Lucy had then gathered up the photographs and put them back in the shoe box along with a few other trinkets that Brennan had somehow managed to hold onto and placed them out of the way. Boot was curious as to what the box contained, but Lucy just shook her head at him, and he focused on serving the food.

Booth had a few case related topics to discuss, so as soon as the food had been eaten, he decided to tuck the girl in as Brennan took care of the dishes. Lucy was a little indignant at being sent to bed, but she had to admit that she was exhausted. Booth gently kissed the girl's forehead as he said goodnight. "Thanks, Squirt."

"For what?"

"For taking care of your mom."

"It's my job." Lucy covered another yawn as Booth shook his head.

"It's not supposed to be that way. You are the kid." Lucy frowned a bit. Booth's expression seemed to understand why Lucy felt so duty bound to her mother, but there was something else behind it. She somehow also knew that he had grown up feeling the same sense of responsibility.

"Yeah, I know, FBI guy. But sometimes..." Booth cut off the girl. It had already been an emotional day, he didn't need to open up his own can of worms.

"Right, try and get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a long day. Night, kid."

"Good night, Booth." Booth turned out the lights and gently closed the door. He found Brennan back at the table, once again flipping through the small stack of photographs, looking wistful.

Booth picked up one of the pictures. "Wow, you and Lucy could pass as twins. You look exactly the same."

Brennan shook her head, "No, Lucy's mandible is not as pronounced and her eyes are a darker blue, and our nasal ridges are not at all similar." Booth pressed his lip together, trying not to comment. Sighing, he changed the subject, back to the more pressing matter.

"After you gave me your parents' missing persons file, I did some poking around."

Brennan had been avoiding his gaze all evening, but suddenly she met his eyes, "You worked on it?"

"Well, there wasn't much I could do. There was no evidence, no clear jurisdiction." Once again, he sighed. "Listen, Bones. Finding your mother's remains means that I can open an official FBI case. I mean for the first time, a real investigation can occur." Brennan nodded. They briefly discussed her parents' car. Unspoken was the fact that it was the last thing she ever found out about her parents before this morning. The police had found the car, but then a few weeks later she had been placed in foster care. She had been alone in the world, and no one had cared enough to find the truth.

Booth went on to talk about Brennan's parents. She was mildly surprised that her mother had been a witness for the prosecution on evasion charges. But she agreed with Booth that it did give a motive. He paused before he brought up his last bit of information.

"Then there's uh, your brother."

She frowned. "Russ, the brother who deserted me."

"He's on parole. He ran a chop shop processing stolen cars for parts."

Brennan shook her head slowly. "Figures."

"He says that you blame him for your parents' disappearance?"

She stood up and gathered her precious photographs, indignant. "You talked to Russ?" She kept her tone quiet so as not to make her daughter, but he could hear the anger behind it.

Booth tried to diffuse the situation. "I called him. Just asked him a few routine questions. He didn't give me much. We're gonna find out what happened to your mom. OK?"

Brennan didn't answer. Instead, she finished cleaning up the various papers and items that had been displaced over the course of the day. Booth let her clean for a few minutes before speaking again.

"Come on, Bones. It's bedtime."

"I'm not a child, Booth. You can't tell me what to do."

"I know, but I'm worried about you. I know you. You are going to work yourself to death. You need some sleep."

"I'm fine. I'm not tired." He shook his head at her. Of course she was tired, he was exhausted, and he wasn't the one who had gotten devastating news today.

"Yes, you are. And I know what you are going to do. You are going to go to your bed and toss and turn for twenty minutes and then you are going to end up falling asleep in Lucy's bed for a few hours. Or maybe you are about to wake Angela up out of a sound sleep to come over, so that she can stay with Lucy and you can go back to work. I'm not letting you pull an all-nighter. You need sleep. Hell, I need sleep."

She bristled as his hand found her lower back and began pushing her towards her bedroom. "Then go home. Thank you for coming over, but you don't need to stay any longer."

"Yes, I do. Come on. I'm not leaving until I know that you are resting." Without waiting for another protest, he finished guiding her into her bedroom. She made no comment as he turned down the covers, inviting her inside of her own comfortable bed. She reluctantly climbed in and he securely tucked the fabric around her. He then paused to pull off his shoes and his jacket before climbing on top of the comforter, laying on his side and wrapping one arm around his partner.

Brennan turned over in the bed. "Booth, what are you doing?"

"Making sure that you don't sneak off to the lab. And maybe I just want to make sure that you actually sleep. Come on, I'll tell you a story. I've got a great one starring Sir Seeley of Booth. It's riveting, real character development and a thrilling plot."

"You are so juvenile sometimes. But, thank you." One arm pulled out from under the covers and rested itself on Booth's arm. She shifted slightly under the covers and found herself even closer to Booth's warm body. She could smell his comforting scent and his voice soothed her. A few stray tears fell down her cheeks, and although Booth could not see them, he seemed to sense her needs and squeezed her that much closer. Soon, her even breaths told him that she was asleep. He dared to place one gentle kiss into her hair, and inhaling her intoxicating scent, he too succumbed to his exhaustion.


	7. Happy To Be With You

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Happy (almost) Wednesday. This one was ready to go, so I posted it. Anyone else disappointed in last week's episode? I'd been looking forward to it for so long. I suppose that my expectations were too high. Hannah just needs to go. Oh, and did anyone notice that Dr. Goodman was on Castle the other night? It took me a second viewing to recognize him. Anyway, enjoy this chapter and I will see you Sunday.

Chapter 6: Happy To Be With You

May 6, 2006 The Brennans' Apartment

Brennan woke to an empty bed, groggy and confused about the events of the day before. Suddenly, they all came rushing back to her and she took a deep breath, burying her feelings of hurt and confusion. She got out of bed, a bit unsteady on her feet and made her way into the kitchen. She could smell coffee and she saw Booth's head buried in a kitchen cabinet where he had been putting away clean plates from the dishwasher. He had obviously stopped back at home, as he had changed clothes and picked up breakfast on his way back. There were containers containing fruit, pancakes, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and various fatty, processed meat products that she knew he had bought just to annoy her.

She couldn't help but notice that he was humming to himself. She didn't recognize the tune, but it was cheerful. "Good morning." Booth jumped slightly as he hadn't been expecting Brennan to get out of bed quite so early.

"Hey, Bones. How are you feeling?" His voice was filled with concern as he grabbed a mug and filled it before handing it over to his partner. He quickly handed over the creamer that he knew she used in her coffee as well as the sweetener that she favored.

"Hungry." He chuckled and waved his hand over the food that he had picked up at a nearby diner. He pulled two plates from the cabinet and rummaged in a drawer for some silverware while Brennan finished fixing her coffee.

Booth handed her a plate and began to serve himself. "Well, let's eat. I checked on Lucy when I came back in, she's out like a light."

Brennan nodded. "She was up past her bedtime last night, she should sleep late if left undisturbed."

"Good, she needs her rest. Come on, Bones. Eat up. There is some tasty bacon, I know you'll love it." She chuckled softly at his teasing tone as she helped herself to the fruit and pancakes.

"Thank you, Booth. For breakfast. It was very kind of you."

"It is my duty as your partner, and even if I wasn't under strict orders from Angela to make sure that you ate, I'd still want to make sure that you were doing OK. You're not alone here, Temperance."

Brennan gave him a soft smile. "I know. Thank you, now eat your unhealthy breakfast, before it gets cold."

The duo were just finishing their food when a bleary-eyed Lucy walked into the room, dragging her stuffed monkey by its tail. She rubbed sleep out of her eyes as she gave her mother a kiss on the cheek.

"You're still here, FBI guy?"

Booth shrugged in response. "Technically, I'm back. I brought breakfast, Squirt. Help yourself. There is a plate on the counter and a cup of orange juice in the fridge. Fresh squeezed. So how is Ringo today?"

Brennan looked at Booth pointedly. "That is an inanimate object, Booth. It doesn't have feelings."

Lucy giggled as she searched the fridge for her orange juice. "Ringo is fine. Thanks for asking." She filled her plate with the food that Booth had provided and sat at the table where her mother was now looking through the world events section of the paper as Booth perused the latest sports news. Lucy paused for a moment, watching her mother and her mother's partner sitting together. Lucy wished that she could wake up to the image every morning. They looked so happy together, and Lucy felt like they were really a family, even if it was just for a few minutes. Booth handed her the comics page as she seated herself. She raised an eyebrow at him.

Booth made a face and innocently asked, "What?"

"I usually start with the Arts and Leisure section." Booth groaned as he flipped through the paper to find the appropriate segment and hand it over.

"Of course you do. Seriously, do you two ever do anything normal?" Lucy shrugged as Brennan scoffed.

"I don't understand how reading the newspaper is an abnormal activity."

Booth set his paper down and stared at his partner. "She's a kid, kids read the comics."

Brennan set down her own section of the paper and eyed him warily. "That is a false assumption. Lucy is a gifted child who chooses to engage her brain and not ruin her mind with silly comics or random cartoons on the television."

"I know she's gifted, Bones, but it wouldn't kill her to see Lucy van Pelt pull the football away from Charlie Brown."

Lucy huffed, "I'm sitting right here you know." Rather frustrated, she flipped to the forth page of the paper, trying to finish the article that she had started on the first page.

The three wisely dropped the subject and focused on their own interests for the next ten minutes, until Lucy set her section down. "Hey, Booth?"

"Yes?"

"Can you help me with an extra credit project for school? It won't take long, I promise."

Booth raised an eyebrow at her. "What do you need extra credit for? Don't you have like 120% in everything?"

Lucy frowned, "It's a long story, but I need to make up an assignment for my Social Studies class."

"Uh, sure. Isn't your mom better at this stuff though?"

Lucy shrugged. "Well, usually, yeah. No offense."

"None taken." Brennan stood up and began clearing away the dishes, Booth couldn't help following her with his eyes until Lucy cleared her throat and Booth quickly covered for himself by grabbing his coffee mug.

"Anyway. I wanted to write an essay on the end of the Civil War. What can you tell me about John Wilkes Booth?"

Booth had chosen that moment to finish his coffee dregs and ended up spitting the last swallow all over the abandoned newspaper in front of him.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, Mom mentioned that you must be descended from John Wilkes Booth and I thought that interviewing you would make for an interesting topic."

Booth grabbed a napkin and attempted to clean up his mess as he called for his partner. "Bones! Get in here. What on earth did you tell your daughter?"

Brennan stepped back in from the kitchen, "I just mentioned that from your bone structure and your last name that it was statistically likely that John Wilkes Booth was an ancestor."

Booth was clearly frustrated, and he spoke to her, keeping his teeth firmly clenched. "Bones! That isn't something that I talk about."

Brennan was confused. "Because he shot Abraham Lincoln?"

Booth sighed, "Yeah, he is one of the most hated men in history. And I'm related to him, not really a story to tell at a party."

Brennan tried to atone for her obvious slight, although she was still a bit confused as to why Booth was so offended. "But just think, one of your ancestors irrevocably altered the course of American history, it's a fascinating idea to cogitate."

"No, it isn't. Look, Lucy. It isn't something that I talk about. You just keep it under your hat. If you want to write a paper on why the Phillies are going to win the World Series, I'm your guy. Otherwise, I'm out."

Lucy looked truly hurt that Booth had become so upset. Booth, for his part, felt even worse when he realized that his own insecurities had hurt someone that he cared about. Lucy looked at him with wide and tear-filled eyes. "I'm sorry, FBI guy. I didn't mean to offend you." She put on a brave face and tried to speak in a bright tone, "I guess I could write a report on identification of Civil War soldiers. Did Mom ever tell you about the time that she identified two soldiers from the same field? Turns out that they were brothers but one was a Confederate soldier and one was a Union soldier. They shared the same bone condition and they both died from gunshot wounds to the chest. It was a really cool case from bone storage, wasn't it, Mom?"

Brennan nodded. "Yes, it was."

Booth patted Lucy's hand, trying to show that all was forgiven. "It does sound really interesting, I'd like to read the essay when you are done, if you don't mind."

"Sure thing, FBI guy." Lucy gave him a grateful hug, happy that Booth was no longer angry with her.

Brennan interrupted the moment, deciding that she needed to get back to work. "Booth, Lucy and I are going into the lab. She can work on her paper while I evaluate my mother's bones."

Booth nodded, "Sure thing. I expected it. I've got some stuff to do at the Hoover anyway. Maybe we can all meet up for lunch?"

Brennan smiled at her partner. "That sounds acceptable." Lucy nodded vigorously and bounded off to her bedroom, wanting to get ready for the day.

Booth stood to leave, "Bones, I'm sorry about earlier, it's just something I don't like to talk about."

"I understand, I don't like to talk about my past either. Let's just move on."

Booth nodded. "Sure thing. Are you going to be OK? I can work on my stuff at the lab if you want company."

Brennan tilted her head at him, "Booth, I will be fine."

"I just worry about you."

Brennan scoffed. "You don't need to."

Booth just shook his head, but his voice regained the playful tone that he often used when talking to his partner. "Well, someone needs to. But I'll go do my work in my office, I'll see you for lunch. Take care." Brennan should have found it annoying, but for some reason when he used that voice with her, she liked it. She would, of course, never admit that fact to him.

Brennan smiled at Booth as he made his way out of the door. He flashed her one of his charm smiles and gave a friendly wave as he closed the door behind him. She lingered at the door for a few moments, keeping her hand on the knob that she could swear still contained the warmth from his brief touch. As irrational as the sentiment was, she liked that someone cared about her as much as her partner did.


	8. Always Alone

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Happy Sunday. Here is the latest installment. I am going to be changing my posting schedule starting this week. I'm going to be posting Tuesdays and Saturdays from now on, so keep an eye out for a new chapter coming up. Thanks again for all reviews, alerts and favorites. I am a bit behind in review responses (as always), but they are appreciated greatly. Enjoy.

Chapter 7: Always Alone

May 6, 2006 The Jeffersonian Institution

Booth paced the floor of the lobby outside the Medico-Legal Lab. He glanced at his watch. He was running just a little bit tardy even for the late lunch that he had planned with his partner, but he couldn't force himself to enter the lab just yet. He took another lap around the giant statue in the lobby. He had done as promised and spent a few hours at the Hoover building, running down leads and what he had uncovered disturbed him. Disturbed him so much in fact, that he took yet another loop around the gaudy marble figure and took steadying breaths.

Booth mused to himself that he was being ridiculous. He was used to giving crappy news, having to tell people things that didn't want to listen to but needed to hear. It was different, though, when the person who needed to hear those things was his partner, more importantly his friend. Taking one last circle he decided that it was time to man up. Now was the time to be the alpha-male, to be the strong leader of the group, to offer support and strength at his partner's time of need. He adjusted his belt buckle and walked into the lab.

He could hear his partner's raised voice as he found the majority of the team. They were grouped on the platform, saying something about dating the burial. He could just make out disbelief in Brennan's face. Science and her inner logic were at odds for once, and she was struggling to reconcile the two. He slid his card an entered the platform. He caught the tail end of the conversation, Brennan insisting that her mother had been buried near Christmas 1991. Booth lost a lot of his bravado, seeing the look in the eyes of his partner, but he pushed forward.

"I need the room, guys."

Zack, unfamiliar with the phrase 'first come, first serve' was still affronted that he was being tossed off the platform. "The whole lab? For what?"

And, as usual, Hodgins was there to explain. "It's a cop way of saying, 'Get lost.'" The two scientists exited the platform. Zack grumbled, and Hodgins shushed him, trying to eavesdrop a little as he made his way over to Angela's office.

Brennan looked at her partner, and Booth took the coward's way out. He rummaged through the folder in his hands and avoided her unnerving gaze. "What?"

"When you first gave me the file on your parents, I...I looked back into their lives three to four years before they disappeared. Jobs, friends."

This information was news to Brennan. She had given him the file, but other than glancing through it at Wong Foo's, he had never mentioned it to her again. She encouraged him to continue, albeit with some hesitation, "Okay?"

Booth continued to avoid meeting her eyes, "I looked back a little further and I found that…Christine Brennan didn't exist before 1978."

Brennan was still confused, "What are you telling me? That... That this woman isn't my mother? I was born in 1976. Obviously, my mother existed."

He finally looked at her, seeing her confused and still hurt expression. "Do you know the most common way of creating an identity?"

Of course she did, she had been working with the FBI for long enough that she was starting to become wise to some of the workings of the criminal world. She could appreciate the various skills and techniques, even if she could not understand their motives or intents. She explained what she knew, "Getting the birth certificate of someone deceased who was born the same year you were and take over that identity."

Booth nodded, glad he didn't have to explain every detail, "I found one, a Matthew Brennan. Born and died, in 1948." Brennan shook her head, she couldn't or wouldn't believe him. Booth swallowed before continuing, "Do you understand?"

Her parents were her parents; they had been honest with her until the day that they disappeared, or so she thought. Her face became blank, and Booth wondered what was going on in her mind. She shook her head once, "I don't know what it means. I don't know what any of it means."

Booth willed himself to keep eye contact. This next bit of data was what had set him pacing just a few minutes earlier. He needed to just say it, to be relieved of this burden. Still, he knew that speaking this fact out loud would just give the burden to someone else that he cared about. If he could keep the secret forever to keep her happy, he would. He would be like that Greek guy, whatever his name was, who forever rolled the boulder up the hill only to have it roll down again and force him to start all over. But, she also deserved the truth; holding it in longer would only hurt her more in the long run. He settled for breaking the news as gently as he could.

"It means your parents weren't who you thought they were. It means that they were living under… assumed identities."

Brennan sighed. She wasn't as clueless as he sometimes thought she was. She knew that he had bad news, ever since he sent away Zack and Hodgins. He would only ask about creating a new identity, if there was a motive behind her needing to have that information. Still, it was a blow. She had survived horrendous years in foster care by holding onto her identity, by nightly reminding herself who she really was. She was Temperance Brennan, a highly intelligent person who was going to make something of herself, who was going to succeed. She had succeeded, even beyond her girlhood dreams, due to her unique skills and her writing talents.

Booth watched her as these thoughts raced through her brain. Sensing that he was watching her, she turned away from him, leaning against a railing. For much of her life she thought that she only had herself to count on, Angela and Booth had both showed her that she could trust others, even if she never fully opened herself up to either one of them. And Lucy... her own daughter had proved to her that she would never be truly alone.

Still, in this moment, that was all she felt, truly alone. She was fifteen again, holding a small suitcase and a garbage bag of possessions, being sent to her first foster home. She was sixteen, and slowly dying in the trunk of a car. She was seventeen and watching her college roommate practically having intercourse in the room with a random boy and asking 'Tempe-dear' to take her books to the library and give the two some privacy, despite the fact that it was nearly midnight and Brennan had an eight AM class. She flinched when a hand gripped her shoulder, then relaxed when she realized that it was just Booth.

"You OK, Temperance?" Her first name, she realized that she must look upset. That despite turning away from him, he knew that she was in turmoil and he was there.

"Booth, I'm fine. I will be fine."

"I know you will be. Want to grab some lunch? Take some time to let this stuff sink in. You'll feel better after some pie." He joked.

"I don't like my fruit cooked."

"I know. It was a joke."

"Oh." She paused, "I'm not hungry."

He shifted his grip, Booth now stood beside her with his arm around her shoulder. "Don't be like that, Bones. You need food and a distraction."

"There's a granola bar in my bag, and a waiting case in bone storage." Booth made a face.

"Not what I meant."

"Please, Booth." That was all that she said, but he knew what she had left unspoken. She needed some time and space. She would come to him, when she was ready; he hoped.

"OK, it's your call. Mind if I grab Lucy and get her some lunch? She's got to be hungry."

"Yes, that would be nice."

Booth hesitated a moment but spoke again, trying to keep his voice cheerful. "I've got some errands to run, do you care if she tags along? We might be gone pretty late."

"If she wants to accompany you, that would be fine."

Booth squeezed his partner's shoulder and then dropped his arm. "OK, I'm gonna get going then. Call me if you need anything. Please?"

"Yes, I will. And..."

Booth read her mind. "Don't tell Lucy. Nothing to tell her yet. When we have something that she needs to know, we'll tell her, together." Brennan nodded and Booth exited the platform.

Thirty seconds later, Booth was in Brennan's office. He found Lucy on the computer, just printing out her report. He tried to act casual, and apparently succeeded as Lucy seemed to find nothing amiss.

"Hey, Squirt. You want some lunch? Your mom is taking a pass, we'll bring her something back."

"Sure, FBI guy. I'm starving." She packed up her bag, placing the paper in a folder and zipping it up. Booth waited for her and then walked out to the lobby with Lucy. He noticed that Brennan had disappeared and that the squints were back on the platform, eying him warily. He just waved at the team and walked out the door.

He paused in the lobby, right next to the statue that he had paced around earlier. "Hey, Squirt?"

"Yeah?"

"How do you feel about road trips?"


	9. Wayfaring Stranger

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Happy Tuesday(ish). I'm a bit late with my post, but I should be working on a lesson plan right now, and I'm not. That's right, I have joined the ranks of authors who put fanfiction ahead of their responsibilities. And don't regret it. Enjoy.

Chapter 8: Wayfaring Stranger

May 6, 2006 Booth's SUV

"Are we there yet?" Lucy Brennan whined and looked out the window as Booth's grip on the steering wheel tightened. She had asked this question at least eight times in the past hour and it was driving him slowly nuts.

"No. Just hold your horses. We'll get there soon."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "You keep saying that. How soon is soon?"

Booth then shook his head. "You are worse than Parker, you know that? And he is five years old. You are practically a genius, and you can't just sit in a car and relax?"

"I just want to know where we are going, and how much longer it is going to take. We've practically driven through the entire state of Virginia, and still you refuse to answer my questions."

"It's a surprise. Don't you like surprises?"

Lucy huffed, "I'm not very spontaneous."

"That is your mother's influence."

Lucy returned to staring out of the window. "Yeah, it is. We like to plan things. Is that so wrong?"

Booth quickly glanced at the girl before turning his eyes back to the road. "No, not wrong exactly. But don't you two just ever do something crazy? Just for the fun of things? Get in a car without a map or a destination and just see where you end up?"

"Mom's car has GPS, we always know where we are going."

Booth gave up, Lucy Brennan had defeated his logic and his patience. But he decided that someday soon, he was going to do something for his partner and her daughter that was completely unexpected. Something nice, that would bring a smile to their faces and prove to them that surprises could be fun. Unfortunately, he didn't have too much time to dwell on the future. As it was, they were approaching their destination and Booth was beginning to question the motives behind his plan.

His idea had been to use Lucy as a buffer as he sought out Russ, thinking that the young girl would help convince Brennan's brother to return with Booth to DC. Now, Booth cursed himself. This plan would probably go down as one of the worst ideas he had ever thought of. Captain of the Titanic, Pilot of the Hindenburg, and Seeley Booth; they were all disaster bound. He was shamelessly using a ten year old girl. And now the fates were mocking him, as the exit he had been waiting for suddenly appeared on the right. Sighing, he turned on the blinker and merged.

One wrong turn and three complaints later, Booth finally pulled into the parking lot of his destination. Lucy saw the flashing lights and heard faint music and just stared at Booth.

"We drove over three hours to go to a carnival? Seriously?"

Booth grimaced. Time to make the best of the situation. "Yeah, I thought it would be fun. You know... hang out, get away for awhile."

Lucy wasn't buying it. "OK, spill. You are trying to distract me. Something is wrong with Mom and somehow you got the job of getting me out of the way so that she can shut down and 'process' or whatever. I may be a child, but I am not that naive. I don't like being played. And she needs me, especially now. Was this Aunt Angela's idea or yours?"

Booth tried to keep his cool. "Calm down, Squirt. OK, I _may_ have brought you along cause your Mom wanted some space, but that wasn't the only reason. The truth is, I brought you down here because _I_ needed some help. But it was a stupid idea, so let's just forget about it. We'll play a couple games, grab some cotton candy and then we will go home. And then we will never mention this again."

Lucy unclicked her seat belt and took a deep breath. This was the second time today that she and Booth had grown frustrated with each other, although neither meant to hurt the others feelings. She knew that they were both tired and feeling sorry for themselves. Deciding to put on a brave face, she smiled at Booth whose face visibly relaxed with Lucy's joking tone. "Fine, but just so you know, I also want some popcorn. And I will kick your butt at all carnival games."

"Sure you will."

* * *

"How on earth are you so good at this game? I am a trained sniper and you beat me every time."

Lucy just shrugged, "Practice, I guess. I've always been good at this game."

Booth turned the toy squirt gun away in disgust. "It's because I am shooting at clowns. I hate the darn things. OK, Squirt. Pick out your prize, and let's get out of here. I'm starving."

Lucy glanced thoughtfully at the rows of prizes. She ended up with a lime-green, stuffed dinosaur that she knew Parker would love. She pushed the toy into Booth's chest. "Here. Tell Parker that you won it. Be the man. Now, I believe it was 'loser buys the snacks.' So pay up."

Booth nodded and led the way to a concession stand, holding the newly dubbed Ted the T-Rex. They were munching away at the buttery popcorn when a thought occurred to Lucy. "FBI Guy, you said that you needed my help. Why did you really bring me down here?"

"You want the truth?"

"Always."

"Your uncle is working here. He lives a couple hours away, but travels these carnivals, working where he can according to..."

"According to who?"

Booth hesitated and then told the truth. "His parole officer."

"Oh." Lucy wanted to laugh. Her mother had always walked the straight and narrow. As far as Lucy knew she didn't even speed. With the possibly huge exception of becoming a single teenage mother, her mother had never done anything that society wouldn't approve of. And her mother's brother was out on parole, it seemed a bit ironic. "So why are we here?"

"I thought that he needed to know what was going on. I've got some questions for him, and I thought that... nevermind. It was a stupid thought."

Lucy could read that particular expression on Booth's face like one of her favorite novels. "You thought maybe it was time for Mom and Uncle Russ to actually talk? That's not totally stupid. Aunt Angela and I have been working on that one for years."

"Thanks, Squirt. Glad to know that I have your approval."

"We'll go with a tacit acceptance."

"What do you have, a Word-A-Day calendar?"

Lucy looked offended for a moment, but realized that he was teasing her. "So what if I do? Anyway, when this blows up in your face, I had nothing to do with this scheme."

Booth joked again, "You mean, if this blows up in my face?"

"Nope, I definitely meant _when_." The cocky grin slid from Booth's face.

"Come on, Squirt, let's get this over with."

Lucy and Booth searched the carnival for about ten minutes looking for her uncle. Finally, a bored teenage barker pointed towards the Ferris Wheel that was not currently spinning and suggested that the pair start there. They arrived just in time to hear the carnival owner yelling at a man who was dotted in grease. A man that Lucy instantly felt a connection to, even though she had never seen him before in person.

Suddenly nervous, Lucy tugged at Booth's sleeve. "What if he doesn't like me? I don't always make the best first impression." Booth handed her the green toy and she squeezed it tightly.

Booth smiled down at the girl, "Well I like you and you threatened me with physical violence the first time we met. I don't think you have to worry." Booth gently squeezed her shoulder and led her slightly closer to the broken ride.

The owner was still fuming, "Every minute this is down, I'm losing money."

Russ looked up from the engine and retorted. "You want faster work, grab yourself a cup of coffee. Let me alone, man."

Booth chose that moment to step up to the railing, shielding Lucy behind his larger body. The owner took Russ' advice and walked away: shaking his head, grumbling, and mentally calculating how much money he was losing for every minute the ride was down. Booth made eye contact with Russ and finally spoke. "You licensed for this job?"

Russ did not notice his niece and focused on the man that Russ knew he would usually try to avoid, "You're a cop."

"You know who recognizes cops?"

Russ hedged, "Other cops."

"And crooks. I talked to you a couple of months ago on the phone. I'm Booth."

Russ' attention had still been mostly focused on the engine, but at the sound of Booth's name, Russ focused solely on the agent.

"You gonna ask me some more questions about my childhood?"

Booth held up the picture of Russ' mother, the same one that he had used to break the news to Lucy. Russ only needed a quick glance to recognize the face. "You found my mother?"

Booth responded quietly, offering sympathy in actions, if not words. "Your sister did the ID."

Russ nodded and asked about his father. Booth responded in the negative. Behind him, Lucy started to squirm. She was tired of waiting and she popped out from behind Booth. Russ did a double take at the image. Standing before him was his little sister as he remembered her best; happy and carefree. But that was impossible, Tempe was a grown woman. He'd read her book, seen her photo. And once he'd attended a reading, hiding behind a bookcase and sneaking out when his confidence failed him. He continued to stare at the girl.

Lucy swallowed, "I'm Lucy. You are my Uncle Russ. It's... umm... nice to meet you. And I totally don't care that you are out on parole." Booth elbowed her in the side. Russ walked over to the railing and a chorus of complaints could be heard behind him as he hopped over the short gate and swept the girl up in a hug. Lucy froze for a moment and then returned the hug, squeezing him tightly. Neither knew what to say, so they just continued the hug until Booth cleared his throat. Russ set the girl down and then stared down the agent.

"What do you want?"

"Do you remember being anyone else besides uh….Russ Brennan?"

Russ answered with a "no," but Booth could tell that the answer wasn't completely honest.

Booth raised an eyebrow, "You wouldn't lie to me, would you, Russ?"

Russ smirked back, "Cops always think I'm lying."

Booth let out a chuckle, "I want you to come back to DC. I want you to talk to your sister and get to know your niece."

"What are you, sleeping with my sister or something?" Booth's jaw worked and Lucy stepped away from her uncle.

"Or something. Look, she's my partner, and I just want her to be happy. If you don't think you can help with that, then by all means, stay here and stay away from her. Otherwise, come back with us and help out in this investigation."

Lucy found her voice again. "Please, Uncle Russ. Come home with us."

Russ frowned but his tone was light. "I got a job to do." He vaulted back over the fence and pressed a button. The Ferris Wheel sprung to life, and the passengers cheered.

Lucy looked at the spinning ride, mildly impressed. "Look at that. It works."

Booth nodded, "So it does." Booth slipped his business card into the railing. "We'll see you soon." Booth turned towards the parking lot and began to walk. "Come on, Squirt. Let's get back. Your mom will be wondering where you are. I'd hate to have to arrest myself for transporting a minor across state lines." Lucy giggled as she caught up to Booth and took his hand in hers, her other arm still squeezing the stuffed dinosaur.

Russ watched them go, and then picked up the card. It had Booth's contact information and at the top of the card was a short note that simply read, "She needs you." Jumping the fence one more time, Russ called out to Booth. The agent and the girl stopped and turned.

"I've got a bag at the motel down the road, mind if I tag along?" Lucy's smile was brilliant as she looked between Booth and Russ. For a moment, Russ was transported back twenty years. He scooped the girl up and threw her over his shoulder while she squealed. "So, kid. Anyone ever teach you Marco Polo?"


	10. Folks Out On The Road

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Happy Tuesday. I'm sorry that I missed my Saturday post. The week just got away from me. Forgive me. I'm trying to post twice a week, but I've been busier than expected lately. But such is life. Thanks for all reviews/alerts/favorites, and keep them coming. Enjoy.

Chapter 9: Folks Out On The Road

May 6, 2006 Booth's SUV

Russ sighed and rested his head against the back of his seat. He was exhausted, but content. Smiling, he looked back at his sleeping niece. The small group was now about an hour outside of DC. Three minutes earlier Lucy had balled up a sweatshirt left in the back of Booth's car, used it as a makeshift pillow and instantaneously fallen asleep.

Russ chuckled and turned on the radio, lowering the volume. The two men sat listening to classic rock for a few minutes before speaking. It was Russ who broke the relative silence. "She's something, isn't she?"

Booth nodded. For the past three hours, Lucy had talked non-stop. She told Russ her life story, from weighing 6 pounds 7 ounces at birth, to her first day of pre-school where she had refused to play dress-up with the other girls until they agreed that they would play school. She had then taught five little girls the first six letters of the alphabet, before the actual teacher caught on. Lucy told Russ about her trip to Tokyo, and all of the cultural things that she had experienced. She was now obsessed with finding the best sushi in DC. She told Russ about her science projects from past years, and about her favorite color, her favorite books, and her favorite things to do in her free time.

Lucy had given an entire lecture on processed foods and women's rights when the group had stopped at a McDonald's where Lucy had ordered her first ever Happy Meal. She had automatically been given the Barbie toy. Of course her lecture hadn't prevented her from stealing some of Booth's extra fries and then going back in line to order a large strawberry milkshake and trade the doll in for one of the 'boy toys'. Russ had been highly amused by the entire exchange and was reminded often of his younger sister.

Thinking of the girl that he once knew, Russ spoke again to the agent. "When we were kids we went on a trip to Mt. Rushmore. I was like thirteen and a total punk at the time. My parents let Tempe map the whole trip and when we were on the road she wouldn't stop talking. She drove me crazy. Seriously, I was about to open the door and roll out of the car. I thought that they were actually enjoying the history lesson because they were always proud of whatever she did. And then I saw my dad look over at my mom and roll his eyes. And then the three of us, we all just burst out laughing. Tempe had no clue about why we were laughing so hard and she just kept telling us about Teddy Roosevelt's biggest accomplishments. It ended up being the best trip we ever took."

Booth laughed along with Russ. Yes, that was the Brennan that he knew: brilliant, focused and clueless. Booth was reminded of his first case on the road with Brennan, "Once, I was on a plane back from Washington State with your sister. It was really toward the beginning of our partnership, and we were still testing each other out. By the time we were on the plane, I kind of wished that I had a parachute on me. And then she yawned once, rested her head against the window and just fell asleep on me. And I was so bored the rest of the trip home that I read the entire Skymall catalog, cover to cover." Booth hooked a thumb back at the sleeping girl. "Guess it's hereditary."

Russ nodded and changed the subject. "So how exactly did you end up working with Tempe? And how did you get so close to her kid, what do call her again?"

"Your sister is Bones and your niece is Squirt. I did at first just to annoy your sister and then I don't know. It meant more than that, and now it's just the status quo. Let's see, I started working with Bones last July, right before Lucy's birthday. Bones has been consulting for the FBI for a couple years, but I'm the first agent that she actually tried to work with more than once. Your sister is the best in the world at identifying a pile of bones and telling the world who they used to be. And she's getting pretty good at catching criminals, too. She's really incredible. No one else can do what she can do with bones."

Russ chuckled. "Hence the nickname. I always pictured her as a scientist in a lab getting a Nobel Prize. Never would have thought that she would work with the FBI or write best selling novels. And I never pictured her having a ten year old kid . She was always the responsible one. I may not be too bright, but I can do the math. I guess that I didn't know my sister as well as I thought. Please, at least tell me that the guy isn't a deadbeat. She's had enough people let her down."

Booth's eyes clouded over slightly. Brennan wouldn't appreciate her personal life being broadcast, but at least Booth could prevent Russ from putting his foot in his mouth in front of his sister. "He died in Brazil on some sort of dig. Snakebite. Never even knew he was going to be a dad. She doesn't like to talk about it."

Russ was shocked. "God, I had no idea. I would have been there if she would have told me, I swear it. She wouldn't have been alone. I shouldn't have left her alone. I thought that she would be better off without me. I was such a screw up, I couldn't take care of myself let alone a teenager. I ended up throwing away every cent my parents left me, meeting the wrong people and ending up in jail. I was her big brother, I always took care of her when our parents were around. I was always supposed to take care of her, instead I ran. I really am a failure. No wonder she hates me."

Booth wanted to offer some sort of comfort. On one level, he couldn't ever imagine giving up on Jared when they were kids. He had often sacrificed himself in order to protect his little sibling. But then again Pops had stepped in when his father had skipped town, being a parent to both Booth boys. He'd like to think that he would have done the right thing if Pops hadn't been there, but one couldn't change the past or really know what they were going to do when placed in an impossible situation. He could see how a nineteen year old kid trying to deal with his own grief and confusion would entrust his sister to grown adults that should have helped and protected her. Booth knew very little about Brennan's foster care experiences, but he knew enough to know that the system had failed her, leaving her bitter and blaming her brother and blaming herself even more.

Booth offered a small comfort, realizing that he had been distracted by his own thoughts and that Russ was still beating himself up over his abandonment of his sister, and his ignorance of his niece's existence. "She doesn't hate you." Russ scoffed and once again changed the subject.

"So, is my sister seeing anyone?"

Booth sucked in his cheeks and stared at the road, answering a quiet "no."

Russ cleared his own throat, clearly he had hit a nerve. "Oh, sorry, man."

"Don't worry about it. We've got a good thing going, I don't want to mess it up."

Russ grinned, suppressing a laugh as Lucy shifted in the back seat, letting out a soft snore. "Oh, how did I not see this earlier? You are Andy Lister!"

At that comment, Booth allowed a smile. "She claims that I'm not him. We've agreed to disagree on that subject."

"But you wouldn't mind being the Andy to her Kathy?"

As quickly as Booth's smile had been put on, it disappeared even faster. He didn't answer and his grip on the steering wheel tightened. Russ wisely let the subject drop, but he couldn't help but be glad that his sister had someone who cared about her like Booth obviously did. Russ felt a little bit of pity for the man beside him, who obviously wanted more than a work partnership with Temperance Brennan.

The car remained awkwardly silent for awhile, the only noise was the quiet radio and Lucy's occasional snore. It was Booth this time that broke the silence, as they were now only twenty minutes away from the Jeffersonian.

"You really don't remember being anyone other than Russ Brennan?"

Russ stared out of the passenger side window, but answered with a firm "no."

Booth was pretty sure that Russ was lying, but he let it drop. "Just go easy on her when you see her. I didn't exactly tell her that I was going to see you. I may have also neglected to tell her that I introduced you to Squirt."

"So I shouldn't expect the warmest of welcomes. Got it. Thanks for the warning."

"Russ, I think that you are a good guy. You screwed up along the way, but you were young and stupid, she'll come around. Just don't give up on her."

"I won't. Thanks, Agent Booth."

"Just Booth is fine."

Russ nodded. "So what do you think of the Cubs chances this year?"

"I'm a Phillies man, myself." The two men spent the remainder of the ride talking baseball and who was going to end up in the World Series that year. Too soon, the SUV rolled into a parking spot at the Jeffersonian. Booth turned off the ignition and gave Russ an encouraging smile. "Let me grab Lucy and we'll head in. No matter what she says, she really does want to see you. She misses you. You're her big brother, don't forget it."

Russ nodded and exited the SUV as Booth unbuckled Lucy and picked her up. She wakened slightly, only to tighten her grip around Booth and then fall back asleep.

Booth, Lucy and Russ walked into the lab quietly. Russ had been speechless as he stared at the elaborate sculpture in the lobby and then looked in awe at the lab in which his sister worked. In the hours that Booth had been gone, the squints had done their job. Perhaps, too good of a job.

A skull was just visible on a table on the platform, and Russ swallowed at the realization of what those bones meant. Lucy was still sleeping, but the two men heard the conversation on the platform. A shaken Brennan was questioning Hodgins. "Did you find something in the soil?"

Hodgins hesitated. "Yeah, uh... this was in the soil samples alongside your mother's remains." He pointed to the image on the screen.

Brennan squinted at it, "A movie ticket?"

Angela waved at the image, "Rialto Theater. 9pm showing of 'The Fugitive.' September 22, 1993."

Brennan squinted at the magnified ticket, "Well, how did it get there?"

Hodgins eyed Angela warily before explaining to Brennan, "Either your mother had it in her possession when she was buried, or it was somehow buried with her."

Angela continued in her soothing way, "Either way, it dates the burial."

Brennan stopped squinting but looked at her team with tears in her eyes. Even from his perch in the lab, Booth could see them. His grip on Lucy tightened slightly. Russ just continued to stare, overwhelmed by everything that had happened today and by what he was witnessing now. Brennan was speaking again, "No. That's... that's impossible. My mother disappeared in 1991."

Angela extended a hand towards her friend, but Brennan stepped backwards. "Sweetie…"

Brennan took another step backwards and began to rationalize this new information, "It's possible Mom was buried somewhere else, for a year and a half, then moved."

The entomologist gently stopped the anthropologist, "No. That's not possible."

Angela could see her friend's tears clearly now and tried to save her even more pain. "Maybe it is."

Hodgins looked at Angela pointedly, "We decided to tell you the truth... and this is the truth."

Brennan turned sharply and turned back to her mother's skull. Russ gasped a bit as he looked at his sister holding a piece of what was left of his mother. It was disturbing on several levels. Booth stepped a little closer to Russ, silently offering comfort. Still, the two men watched the scene unfold before them, unnoticed by the team on the platform.

Angela walked over to her friend and placed a hand on her shoulder, "You all right?"

Brennan nodded once sharply and turned the skull slowly. Suddenly her head snapped up and she called for her assistant who came at a run from the other end of the platform. "I'm pretty sure I just found cause of death. Zack?"

"Yes, Dr. Brennan."

"See the discoloration on the inside of the skull." She handed the skull to Zack. Angela shook her head and finally noticed the group standing by the door. Foreseeing disaster she stepped away from Brennan.

Zack was now examining the skull, "Left side, extending from the coronal suture, crossing the superior and inferior temporal lines to the squamosal suture." Angela had signaled Hodgins and the two tried to make an escape. The movement of the two friends caught Brennan's attention. Immediately, she saw the three people behind her team. She stared at her partner, daughter and brother as Zack continued to speak. "Subdural hematoma. Whoo! A big one." Zack was waiting for a comment from his boss, but when none was forthcoming he tried to get her attention. "Dr. Brennan?"

In an offhand way, Brennan agreed with her assistant, "Probably fatal."

Satisfied, Zack continued to analyze the skull. "There are no indications of a blow to the outer skull."

Brennan nodded her head at Booth and made a final comment to Zack as she exited the platform. "Scan the outside of the skull. Look for histological changes, microscopic modeling." Ignoring her brother, she pulled her daughter out of Booth's arms as gently as she could despite her frustration. Booth let go of the girl as soon as he was certain that Brennan had a firm grip. Despite the fact that she was whispering, he couldn't mistake her anger. "I don't want to talk to him. Why would you bring him here?"

From the platform, Angela and Hodgins looked at each other sadly as Brennan rushed into her office. Zack of course was preoccupied with the skull in his hands. Booth called after his partner, "Bones. Bones!" He turned to the awkward assistant. "All right, listen, Zack. If this guy moves, shoot him with a tranquilizer...dart or something…" Booth tried to smile a bit at Russ, but it was very hollow. He sprinted after his partner and Zack spoke to the empty space that he left behind.

"I don't actually have a tranquilizer gun." Russ only looked slightly relieved at the revelation.


	11. Water From The Wells Of Home

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Happy Saturday. OK, I'm freaking out about last Thursday's episode. Don't want to spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but I'm so heartbroken for Booth and for Brennan. And that last seen was so beautifully acted, I'm still reeling. Anyway, I have a busy week coming up, so I will try to post when on Tuesday, but I may be a little bit late. I also played around a little bit with where Russ was working. Moorehead City and DC are over six hours apart. It's a nice bonus for writing an AU tale. Once again all dialogue is from the Woman in Limbo, which I did not write. Enjoy.

Chapter 10: Water From The Wells Of Home

May 6, 2006 The Jeffersonian Institution

Booth entered Brennan's office still calling his partner's name. He quieted when he remembered that Lucy was still supposed to be sleeping. He noticed that Brennen had placed her daughter on the couch. Lucy was stirring, but seemed to have missed the drama from the platform. Booth let out a small sigh of relief as he spoke to his partner. "Hey, Bones. Come on. Give him a chance. He just walked out on his job and drove over three hours with us to come and see you. He misses you and I know you miss him."

Brennan began to pack her bag for the evening, and seemed to be pretending that he was invisible. So he was a little surprised when she turned from her desk and addressed him. "My mother died of a subdural hematoma. Bleeding in the brain."

Booth wanted to say more on the subject of her brother, but allowed her to lead the discussion. "You want to proceeded rationally, correct?"

As was her habit, Brennan continued to speak as if her partner wasn't even there. "Chances are the subdural hematoma was caused by a blow to the head."

Booth nodded and put the ball back in his court. "Great. You got the how. Now let's get the who. You just told me that your mother was murdered. I mean, who better to help us than ... than your brother?"

Brennan set her bag on the desk with rather more force than was necessary. She stepped to the agent and poked a finger in his chest. "I don't want his help. I don't know where you found him, but I want you to take him back. I don't want to see him, and I don't want him interacting with Lucy. You are _not_ her father. You have no say in this matter. You crossed a line, Booth. I don't know who you think you are, but you need to back off. Now, get out of my office or I will throw you out, bodily. You know that I can do it."

Booth's expression was stony and his words were laced with frustration. "I'd like to see you try. And you want to know who _I_ am? I am your partner and your friend. Like it or not, I care about you." Brennan's eyes widened at that admission. It wasn't something that Booth wanted to admit in anger, despite the truth of it. He took a steadying breath and continued in a more gentle tone. "All I'm asking is that you give him a chance. He wants to help. Let him help."

"No!"

A small voice piped in and Brennan and Booth both whipped around to see Lucy standing there, still wiping sleep from her eyes and visibly upset. "Mommy, please stop yelling." Brennan looked at Booth with horror in her eyes, an expression that was matched in his own gaze. Yes, they bickered on occasion in front of Lucy, but it was usually about Booth's diet or Brennan's lack of popular culture knowledge. It was always good natured, and even when they were frustrated with each other, they never openly fought. Despite the fact that both of the adults in the room were under a great deal of stress it was no reason to yell at each other, especially in front of a young girl.

Booth recovered first. "I'm sorry, Lucy. I didn't mean to raise my voice. It's not an excuse, but it's been a rough week."

Lucy nodded her acceptance of the apology and turned to face her mother. "Mom, don't you have something that you want to say?"

Brennan sent an ice glare to her partner and then turned to her daughter. "Luce, I'm sorry that I was having a heated discussion in front of you. It was inappropriate. But I am not going to apologize for voicing my opinion."

Lucy tilted her head at her mother, "Mom, don't be mad at Booth. And if you are, you have to be mad at me too. I let him bring Uncle Russ here. And I think it's a good idea. He could help, and I want to get to know him. He's my uncle and he seems nice. Come on, give him a shot. At least say hello, he's standing out there looking scared of Zack. _Scared of Zack_!"

Without another word, Brennan marched over to her office door and wrenched it open. She stomped out of the door and in a few short strides she had passed her brother, letting herself onto the platform and taking the evidence bags that had been left on Hodgins' desk. She then stepped off the platform and stepped towards her brother. Neither agent nor daughter knew what Brennan said, but she was soon marching back into her office with her brother following behind. He still looked a little uneasy, but he winked at Lucy through the glass walls before stepping into his sister's office.

Russ took a moment to look around in awe at his sister's office before Brennan grew impatient and emptied the bags onto a table. She waved her arm over the objects and without saying a word dared her brother to take a look. Russ came closer to the table and first picked up the dolphin belt buckle. He remembered his sister's first day of high school, coming home wearing it. Their mother had taken a half day off of work and had met them at the door with fresh-baked cookies, a first day of school tradition.

Her mother had noticed the buckle right away, but had just smiled and kissed her daughter on the head and asked how her first day was. Russ didn't remember the response. He was a senior and self-centered. He had just grabbed three cookies and gone to his room where he had read comics until dinner. He did remember that night, when his parents had both asked him to keep an eye out for his sister at school. She was younger than most of the other students and they all knew that Tempe had difficulty making friends. So he had promised to keep a look out.

The next day he started the Marco Polo game, but still his sister had worn the buckle every day for the rest of the week. He remembered his sister's smile on that Friday afternoon when he had called out to her after her last class. He heard her response of "Polo" and he had offered her a ride home in the car that he had restored over the summer. His girlfriend at the time, Kimmi or Debbi or something else spelled with a heart that dotted the "i' had been upset that he had blown her off, but he hadn't cared. He and Tempe had just hopped in his car and stopped for ice cream on the way home.

That night Brennan had returned the belt buckle to her mother and talked science with her father for hours and Russ had sat in the living room with the family for once instead of going out with his friends. At some point, Russ himself had convinced them all to play a game of Risk. His sister had won, as usual, but it was still a nice memory. It was one of the last times that they had ever had a family game night. Sighing, Russ rubbed the buckle one last time and came back to the present time. There was so much he wanted to say, but he settled for the obvious.

"Mom loved dolphins." He set the buckle down and then noticed the large marble also on the table. "Hey, this was mine!" And just like that Russ was thrown back further in his past to when he had been about six, and his sister had just celebrated her first birthday. He was somebody else back then, and he pushed down that particular thought when he remembered that he was supposed to forget that he was ever anybody else but Russ Brennan. He had been playing with his marbles on the carpet in the family room and his sister had waddled over, having almost mastered the art of walking.

She had gone straight for the biggest marble and picked it up. She was drooling over it when their mother had walked in the room and pulled the marble out of her hands. Tempe had started to scream and Russ had come over to hug his sister. She calmed down somewhat, and their mother had then picked her up and finished soothing the girl, explaining to her son that she was too young to be playing with marbles, and that she could choke on one. The small boy had protested that his sister was too smart for that, but he had dutifully gathered up his toys and played with them in his room.

He had kept the small bag of marbles even when he moved away from Ohio and become a different person. He had kept them even when he was way too old to even admit that he still owned a child's game. To him they were always a reminder that he had to watch out for his baby sister, that sometimes she needed protecting from things that she didn't know could hurt her. He had even packed the bag in his suitcase when he had fled the house once he had decided to go get work out West.

The marbles were still somewhere in his apartment, a painful but necessary reminder of the kid sister that he had left behind. He wondered if his mother had realized the significance of the glass toy when she had taken it as a memento of her son. He liked to think that she would have. That she had hoped that he would take his duty as older brother seriously as he did when he was a small boy. He shook his head, knowing the disappointment that his mother would have faced if she had known that he had been a coward. Realizing that he was brooding again, he pushed away his guild and tried for levity. "My favorite marble. What was she doing with that?"

Russ would have bet that his sister was struggling with her own childhood memories, but was also ignoring the past. Her voice was still icy when she finally spoke, "Where did Booth find you?"

Russ shrugged, "It's not hard for an FBI Agent to find a parolee."

"I didn't ask how. I asked where."

"Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. I was working a job there for a few weeks, but I've been living in Moorehead City for a couple of years now." Russ finally decided to confront his sister. He was still ridden with guilt for having left his sister, and he wanted to be relieved of some of his burden. "You know, I call every year on your birthday. You never pick up."

Brennan shrugged, "Take a hint."

Russ held up the marble that he had been rolling in his hand for the past few minutes. "Can I have this, please?" He vowed to himself that he would remember his responsibility this time. He wouldn't run out again on his sister or his niece.

Brennan turned away from her brother, "It's evidence."

Lucy and Booth had been watching the exchange in silence, observing all of the cold words and deep emotions that had passed between the siblings. Lucy scrunched her nose now and called to her mother, "Of what? It's a kid's marble."

Her mother was quick to respond. "It's the rules. I can't let him have it."

Russ let out a small half smile and handed the toy back to his sister, "Same old Tempe. Never met a rule worth breaking."

Brennan just shook her head and resealed the glass marble in its evidence bag. "Same old Russ. On parole." But she refused to meet his gaze. Looking at her brother, she was reminded of better times, of the good memories that she and her brother shared. And remembering the good times made remembering the bad times so much worse. She never wanted to think about the bad times. All she wanted to do right now was go home and attempt to sleep. "Come on, Lucy. It's late and past your bedtime. Let's go home."

Lucy looked at both her uncle and the agent with pity, but obeyed her mother without protest. The two men just watched as they gathered their things and walked out. Lucy waved a hasty good-bye before jogging after her mother.

Russ and Booth continued to stare into the empty space for awhile before Russ spoke. "What do I do now?"

"Come with me. I've got a bed you can borrow. We'll try again in the morning. Come on, it's been a long day."

"Yeah. Thanks, you don't have to do that."

"Yes, I do. I dragged you into this. Least I could do is offer you a place to sleep." Russ thanked the man again and followed him out of the building. They were quiet as they thought about the events of the day. Booth felt the need to once again encourage the man beside him. "She'll come around."

"I hope so."

"Just give her some time. This whole thing is hard on all of you."

"I swear to you, Agent Booth. I'm not going to screw up again. She's my sister and I love her, and I'm going to prove it to her."

Booth nodded. He understood the feeling. "It may not be easy."

"But it will be worth it."

Once again, Booth understood. "Yes, it is."


	12. One Piece at a Time

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Happy Bonesday! I am off to watch tonight's episode, but I had to post. There will probably not be another post for a week because I am out of town for a few days. I have had no time to write, and I'll be honest that this week has been a struggle for me to get any posting done. I should have some time next week when I get back to get some writing done, so hopefully I will be back on track soon. Enjoy.

Chapter 11: One Piece At A Time

May 7, 2006 Booth's Apartment

Russ awoke in a small boy's bedroom. Booth had explained that he had a son who was only around every other weekend, if Booth was lucky. Russ nodded his acceptance of the fact and had gratefully sunk into the Spiderman sheets. Both Russ and Booth had tossed and turned for a long time in bed, both thinking about Temperance Brennan. But it had been a long day and soon both men feel into an exhausted sleep. The sun had barely risen when Russ awoke. As he blinked his eyes he noticed a macaroni encrusted frame that held a crayon drawing. Four figures were drawn in the picture, labelled: Parker, Dad, Lucy, and Dr. Bones.

Squinting a little, Russ could see the resemblance of the child's drawing to his sister. He smiled at the picture and made his way out of the bedroom. Russ closed the bedroom at nearly the same instant that Booth exited his own room, freshly showered and straightening his tie. The two men stared awkwardly at one another for a minute before Booth recovered his manners and started to make some breakfast. Russ managed to start the coffee pot as Booth scrambled together some eggs and fried some bacon.

They were silent as they sat down to eat, Russ just mumbled gratefully for the food as Booth acknowledged the hot cup of coffee. It was definitely a strange way to start the day. Russ pushed the eggs around on his plate for a few moments before finally digging in. Booth decided it was time to break the silence.

"So you're a fan of your sister's book? She's working on a sequel. She even let her publicist read it. Apparently, its very good."

Russ raised an eyebrow as he stabbed a bit of eggs onto his fork. "She won't let you read it?"

Booth took a large bite of his last bacon strip. "No. Not till it's published anyway."

Russ chuckled, "Sounds like Tempe."

Booth had finished his breakfast and pushed the plate away. "Why is that? Why do you think  
that Bones asked her publicist to you know, to uh, read her book and not me?" Russ shrugged, but a knowing smile graced his face. Booth stammered a bit as he continued. "You know, maybe…maybe because there was just too much of me in the story. Oh, she was embarrassed. You think? May-Maybe?" They were dangerously close to the topic in the car the day before, and while Russ had a pretty good idea of how Booth felt about his sister, he was slightly relieved by the ringing of Booth's cell. As the day before had shown Russ, things were tense between the partners and all members involved in this case were treading lightly.

Booth turned away to answer the phone. He was only on the phone briefly, "Yeah, I'm on my way. Thanks. I'll be there shortly." Booth turned back to Russ. "Uh, the family car just arrived. I need to get a hold of your sister and stop by the office to grab some stuff before we head over to the garage. Do you... do you want to come along?"

Russ hesitated for a moment. The desire to see his sister outweighed his desire to avoid another tense attempt at reconciliation, and Russ shrugged at Booth. "Sure, you mind if I grab a shower first?"

Booth nodded and grabbed a clean towel for Russ. Booth cleaned up the breakfast dishes and was just hanging up with Angela when Russ reemerged from the bathroom. Russ caught the tail end of the conversation, that at some point today he was going to speak to the person on the phone, but didn't get much else out of the conversation.

"So, I'm going to talk to whoever you were talking to?"

"Probably, yeah. Her name is Angela. She's a forensic artist at the lab. She's really talented, she can help us out. She also happens to be your sister's best friend." Russ frowned. "Don't worry. She won't hold that against you, much." Russ nodded. "I already called your sister. She's going to meet us there. She knows you are coming, she doesn't sound too happy about it, but she'll get over it. Let's get out of here."

The men managed to make polite conversation as they drove to the Hoover, this time about hockey play-offs. Booth signed Russ into the building and they stopped briefly into Booth's office. Booth left Russ there and went to seek out Charlie, who had been looking into a few things earlier that morning. Booth returned to his office, his face pale and his expression icy. "So, Kyle Keenan, huh?"

Russ looked up in shock. "How did you find out?"

"Why did you lie to me?"

"I made a promise. It was a secret."

Booth threw the file folder on top of his desk. "And this is the FBI. It is our job to uncover secrets."

"Agent Booth, I'm sorry, but I couldn't tell you, it was to protect Tempe. Please, believe me."

Booth shook his head slightly, frustrated at having been lied to, and realizing that there was more to the story than Russ trying to pull one over on the FBI. He decided to save that line of questioning for later. "Let's just go. We're late to meet your sister." Booth walked out of his office and led Russ on the short trip over to the garage where the family car was being investigated. Booth met with a tech and told him to do the full work up.

Russ walked over to the car, careful not to touch it, but feeling slightly dizzy from another blast from the past. He had first learned to drive on this car, circling around an empty parking lot with his Dad, while his sister sat in the back and tried to give Russ tips on how to place his hands on the steering wheel. He jumped slightly when his sister appeared out of thin air and pointed to the scratched out bumper sticker on the car.

Booth approached the siblings and inserted himself into the conversation, "There was a bloodstain. Front seat. Passenger side." Booth turned his attention to the files in his hand and decided that it was time to get all of his investigation work out into the open. He cleared the entire garage of all other personnel and Brennan eyed him warily.

She shook her head slightly, "Twice in two days."

Booth just nodded and fiddled with some papers, "I had NCIC database check for a married couple who disappeared in 1978. Meet Max and Ruth Keenan."

Brennan and her brother looked at the mugshots that Booth had procured from Charlie. Russ nodded at the pictures, "That's mom and dad alright."

Brennan continued to stare at the photos, taking them in her hand and tracing her finger along the outline of her mother, "The NCIC database? That's ...that's criminals. My parents were on the list of Federal Offenders?"

Russ couldn't help a half-hearted chuckle. "How do you like that? I guess a criminal nature runs in the family." The small smile on his face was banished a second later as his sister snatched another photograph out of Booth's file and waved it in front of his face.

"You were seven years old, Russ. Old enough to remember. What... what is your real name? What is my real name?"

Booth took the photo out of his partner's hand and placed it back in the folder. "Bones, it's right here in the file."

Brennan's eyes flashed sparks as she first stared down her partner and then stared down her brother. "No! No! I want him to tell me! What is my real name, Russ?"

Russ took a deep breath, he had been holding onto this secret for over 25 years, Booth knew the truth of it, and now it was Brennan's turn. "My name was Kyle. Your name was Joy."

The sparks in Brennan's eyes erupted into an explosion as she cried at Russ. "You are not my brother." Her hand reached out and slapped Russ across his face. Russ rubbed his cheek absently as Booth looked on in horror.

"Bones!"

Brennan turned sharply towards her partner, yelling at him and her brother "No! He lied about that! What else are you lying about? What else are you not telling us?" Before anyone could comment, Brennan had stormed out of the garage. The lab techs who had been eavesdropping quickly stepped out of her way and pretended to be interested in the blank walls of the entryway. As soon as the door had slammed behind the scientist, they made awkward eye contact with each other and began filtering back into the garage.

All of the techs carefully avoided looking the two men in the room. Eventually, Booth made his way over to the head technician and quietly asked him to make this case their top priority. The tech mutely agreed and went back to processing the car. The tech watched as Booth led Russ out of the building, filled with pity for the agent who was clearly dealing with the devil by being assigned to Temperance Brennan.

Neither Booth nor Russ felt hungry enough to eat some lunch, and felt too jittery to try and force down another cup of coffee, so they settled for heading back to Booth's office. Booth continued to trace down some leads, while Russ sat, literally twiddling his thumbs. His face still tingled slightly, and he brought his hand up to the pink cheek. "She's been wanting to do that for awhile, hasn't she?"

Booth looked up from his files. "Probably. Just be glad that she didn't kick you. I once had to use some pull to get her off assault charges for that one. And don't get me started on the time that I had to arrest her for assault."

Russ' mouth gaped open. "When was that?"

Booth thought back for a moment. "Our third case. She had just gotten back from a trip to Guatemala and we were investigating the death of a Congressional intern. Your sister figured out who did it and went to confront him. She shot a guy in the leg, but as it turns out he was trying to destroy evidence and set her on fire. So she wasn't convicted."

Booth let his voice trail off, and Russ shook his head in disbelief. "See I'm telling you. The criminal element really does run in the family."

Booth nodded and struck by sudden inspiration found a telephone number and began dialing rapidly. Ten minutes later, Booth had tracked down an original FBI agent that was assigned to Max and Ruth Keenan. Clapping his hands together, Booth wordlessly invited Russ along with him as they once again made their way out the door. It was time to put together yet another piece of the puzzle that was the story of Temperance Brennan.


	13. The Banks Of The Ohio

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: I'm back! Sorry for the long delay before posting. I'll try and get back on track and back to regular posting. I didn't anticipate being so busy all of the time. Such is life. Anyway, hopefully this will help tide us over until the new episodes. I'll hopefully get another post up this weekend. Enjoy.

Chapter 12: The Banks Of The Ohio

May 7, 2006 The Jeffersonian Institution

Lucy had spent the day wandering around the Jeffersonian trying to stay out of the way. She had wandered by several exhibits that she had seen before and growing bored, had used her access card to let herself into various restricted hallways. She ended up spending several interesting hours with a geologist working on a display of local minerals. The geologist on principle hated anyone from the Medico-Legal lab for constantly stealing his funding and he also couldn't stand Jack Hodgins who thought that he knew so much more about mineralogy than the geologist did. And he didn't appreciate children who called his precious samples rocks.

So he was surprised that he found himself liking the girl whose intrusion had nearly caused him to drop a tray of valuable specimens. The young girl seemed so fascinated by his collection. She made several suggestions for improving the display that he was currently working on and he was only mildly insulted when she suggested that Angela could help with the graphic design of the information cards that he had spent years perfecting. And sensing that the lab would be missing Lucy, the girl just bounced out of the room with a promise to come out and look at his fossil collection sometime and that she would be looking forward to the premier of his display. The scientist then turned back to his samples and decided that the Medico-Legal lab may not be all bad.

The girl had then entered her aunt's office in the middle of a conversation between her mother and her mother's best friend. She felt bad for eavesdropping, but she had to interrupt when Angela mentioned her mother slapping Russ. And then her mother had chuckled about it.

"Mom, what do you mean that you slapped him?" Lucy shook her head in disbelief at her mother.

Brennan pressed her lips together, she did feel bad about hitting her brother. But part of her had felt relief. She had been holding onto bitterness about her brother for so long. With that one outburst she had let go of much of the anger and sadness and feelings of betrayal that she had been holding onto for over a decade. He had been a teenager when their parents had left. He had tried in his own way to offer comfort, to try and give her hope, to give her a Christmas and she had ignored all of it. She had pushed him away and he had done what he thought was right at the time. He had always been her big brother, he had tried to put her first.

Relieved of some of her burdens, Brennan told Angela and Lucy about Marco Polo and how Russ had made sure that everyone knew who she was, that he had protected her in his own way. Lucy came to stand beside her mother and leaned against her side. She smiled a little bit to Angela, knowing how much the memory of that silly game meant to both brother and sister. Both Angela and Lucy hoped that Brennan would be able to move on, to really reach out and have her brother be a part of her life.

Lucy buried her head a little deeper into her mother's shoulder as Brennan continued to speak. "I miss that. Someone caring where I am all the time." Lucy raised her head. She was about to protest that of course she cared where her mother was. She worried about her mother, she couldn't help it. But before Lucy could protest, she heard footsteps.

A smile graced Lucy's face and the expression was mirrored on Angela. Yes, there was clearly someone who cared about Temperance Brennan and where she was and he was walking into the room. A voice joined the footsteps and Brennan couldn't help turning to the sound of her partner. "Bones! Bones! You in here? Come on. Let's go. Chop. Chop." Booth clapped his hands together and continued. "I found the Agent that was assigned to your parents' case."

Lucy looked at her mother with curiosity. All of the adults avoided the gaze of young girl, not wanting to explain the situation to her. Brennan quickly stood from the chair. Russ was standing behind Booth, looking a bit sheepish, but he met his sister's gaze. She smiled at him and his heart felt lighter than it had in fifteen years. The group couldn't help noticing that something had changed for Brennan. Booth grinned a little as he noticed the expression on his partner's face. He finally turned to his partner's daughter.

"Hey, Squirt. How was your day?"

"Stayed out of trouble. Said hello to Dr. Tempkin over in geology. He's got some very interesting mineral samples. And I don't think he's a quack like Dr. Hodgins says he is. I'm going to go to the premier of his exhibit. I find rocks fascinating."

Russ and Booth both made a disgusted face. Even Angela had to agree that rocks were boring, but it was nice that the girl could find something to appreciate in even the most uninteresting of topics.

Booth quickly recovered himself and turned back to his partner. "Bones, we gotta get going, don't want to be late. Afterwords, maybe we can all grab some dinner?" Booth looked meaningfully between the brother and sister. Brennan nodded and Russ let out a relieved exhale.

Lucy jumped up and down, still excited by her rocks and the prospect of dinner with her uncle, who was more fascinating than even ancient stones. "Can we go to Sid's? He promised me that I would get to try something new next time I came over. And I want to see what he would make Uncle Russ. Uncle Russ, you'll love this place. You don't need a menu, Sid just brings you what you need. And it's always delicious. You'll love it. I know you will." She had bounced over to her uncle and grabbed on to his wrist. "Please say you'll have dinner with us. I have so many questions for you. Like, what's your favorite color and what's your favorite pizza topping? And is it true that Mom once caught you sneaking a girl into your bedroom when you were sixteen and got you grounded for a month?"

Angela giggled and Booth gently clapped a hand over Lucy's mouth. "OK, Squirt. That's enough. We have to get going. You hang here with Angela and we will come and get you for dinner. Save your questions till then. And for goodness sake, breathe a little between sentences."

Brennan rolled her eyes, but said a simple good-bye to her daughter and made her way quickly to her office in order to grab her things. Russ followed her. Lucy tried to as well, but the gentle pressure of Booth's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Just give them a second, Squirt. You'll see them again soon enough." Lucy nodded, but stood on her tip-toes trying to get a better view of her uncle and her mother speaking.

Russ closed the office door behind him as he followed his sister. "Tempe, I'm sorry. For everything."

"No, I'm sorry, Russ. For hitting you. It was uncalled for."

"No, it was completely called for."

"Still, it was a poor example to set for Lucy."

Russ smiled. "I'll give you that. Violence is never the answer." Russ quoted something that their mother used to say to them when they were fighting when they were kids.

Brennan smiled, "But sometimes it just feels darn good." Russ laughed, she had just quoted their father. He had always seemed to be a mild-mannered science teacher, but he definitely had a mischievous side to him. Whenever he said that, their mother would just walk away shaking her head.

Russ picked up the bag that his sister had abandoned earlier on the sofa. "We better get going. We don't want to keep your partner waiting."

"No, he did seem to be in rather a hurry."

"Tempe, I don't want to pry, but..."

Brennan cut him off. "Then don't."

"Booth seems like a really good guy." Brennan grabbed her bag out of his hands.

"Yes, he is a good man and an excellent partner. Come on, we don't want to be late." Russ sighed a bit as he followed his sister out of her office. It really wasn't his place to interfere, and he didn't really want to get slapped again. He followed the partners out of the lab and walked behind them silently. He couldn't help smirking as he noticed Booth's hand slide into place along the back of his sister. She didn't react to the gesture and Russ figured that it was a common occurrence. Russ got silently into the back seat of Booth's SUV and listened with amusement to the two bickering all the way back to the Hoover.

* * *

Two hours later, a dejected group sat at Wong Foo's. Despite Sid's best efforts, the group ate little. Lucy had started off chattering and asking questions, but soon stopped when she realized that none of the adults at dinner felt much like talking. She picked at her plate, but also lost her appetite when she noticed that her mother hadn't stolen a single french fry from Booth's plate. Usually, she ate about half of the fries and once when Lucy had asked why Sid never brought a separate plate for her mother when she clearly liked them. Sid just winked as Booth had choked on his drink and excused himself to the bathroom.

Sid had just cleared the plates, frowning at the unusually full dishes. He refrained from commenting, but he wondered if he was losing his touch. Lucy stared at the adults. "OK, spill. What's going on?"

Booth looked around the table before taking a deep breath and beginning to explain. "I don't really know what to say to you. It's complicated."

"I just want the truth."

Booth looked at Brennan who just nodded once, giving her permission. "Your grandparents were bank robbers."

Lucy's eyes grew wide, thinking that the agent was messing with her. "Like Bonnie and Clyde?"

Booth looked once at his partner who was now shredding her napkin. "Something like that. Once a robbery went bad and someone died. They had to run away from their home and change their names. Your uncle and your mom were really young, and they don't remember being other people, but they were."

Lucy looked Booth in the eye, a challenging expression on her face. "I don't believe it. My grandparents had nice normal jobs. They couldn't have been bank robbers. Stop making up stories, FBI Guy. Tell me the truth." She turned to her mother, and was shocked by the look of confirmation on her mother's face.

Brennan reached out for her young daughter's hand. "He's telling the truth, Luce. It is difficult to believe, but it is the truth."

Lucy pondered for a moment. "So what happened to my grandmother? How did she end up at the Jeffersonian?"

Brennan tried to answer her daughter, but was unable to form the words. Booth spoke again. "She was murdered."

Lucy stood up from her chair. She had suspected foul play when she had sent Angela and Booth back to the lab the day that they told her that her grandmother was dead. But that didn't mean that she was fully prepared for the whole story. It couldn't be true. Her voice was panicked as she addressed the crowd. "No, I don't believe it. It isn't true." Patrons were starting to stare at the group and Booth flushed a bit from the attention. He made eye contact with Sid and the owner nodded, excusing the whole group from the restaurant.

"Squirt, calm down. I'm really sorry. It's a hard thing to believe. We are all struggling with it."

Lucy turned to her mother. "Mom, tell me it isn't true. Any of it."

Brennan sighed. "Let's get you home, it's been a long day."

"I'm not tired."

Russ had been sitting silently during this whole exchange and now piped in. "Lucy, this is grown-up stuff. It's all right not to understand all of this."

Lucy was offended and upset, and she struggled to keep the tears out of her eyes. "I am very mature for my age. Don't tell me that I can't handle this."

Russ closed his mouth, he didn't know what else to say. Booth gave him a sympathetic look, and tried to give similar support to Lucy, but she was having none of it.

"Mom, let's get out of here. Please."

Brennan nodded and led her daughter out of the restaurant, but not before giving her partner and her brother a death glare.

Russ sighed. Somehow the slight progress that had been made had been lost when he had nearly made his niece cry. Russ tried to open his wallet and put a few bills on the table, not knowing what else to do. Booth stopped him and Russ nodded his acceptance and returned his wallet to his pocket. Russ rubbed his face. "It's one step forward and two steps back isn't it?"

Booth just stood from the table and stared blankly at a wall for a moment until his phone rang. In a slight daze he answered it.

"Hey, Booth. It's Hodgins. Got the results back on the blood from the car. One of the samples is from Dr. B's mom. But, the other one is not her father. I don't know who it is."

Booth seemed to snap out of his stupor and popped back into agent mode. "Well, that's something. Run it through CODIS and see what pops up, all right?"

"Not a problem. You and Dr. B coming back to the lab?"

"I am. I don't know about Bones. We told Lucy about her grandparents. She's pretty upset."

"And Dr. B's gone into zombie-mode right?"

"I'll see you in a few minutes Hodgins." Booth hung up the phone with a sharp click. The agent turned to Russ and hooked his thumb at the door. "Let's get out of here before we cause more of a scene. By the way, it's more like three steps back." Russ just nodded sadly and once again followed the agent back to the Jeffersonian.


	14. Let The Train Blow The Whistle

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: And here is the author's typical apology for the long delay. It's been a busy two weeks, and it will continue to be busy. I am not abandoning this story and the muse is still feeling strong, but unfortunately the muse must take a back seat to real life right now. I'll see what I can do, but likely won't be posting for a week. Again, I'm sorry, but please enjoy this next chapter. I tried to make it longer than my usual post to make up for the long delay. Also, the McVicar conversation should be the next chapter. I hope you are looking forward to it. Enjoy.

Chapter 13: Let The Train Blow The Whistle

May 7, 2006 Greyhound Bus Station

Russ Brennan stood at the mostly deserted bus depot waiting for the go ahead to board his ride home. Booth stood beside him with a dark look on his face.

"Are you sure that you have to go?"

Russ turned to the agent beside him and sighed. "I don't really want to, but maybe it's better if Tempe has some space. I thought we were making progress, but she wouldn't take my calls and my boss isn't exactly happy that I just ran out on him. Maybe, it's better for everyone if I just head back to North Carolina."

Booth shook his head, he knew that Russ couldn't talk sense into his sister. Booth, himself couldn't even try as she wouldn't pick up the phone when he called either. A muffled voice came over the speaker, and the few people in the lobby stood to gather their things. Russ grabbed his own bag that had been dropped on the floor earlier.

"Look, Booth. I appreciate everything that you tried to do for me and my sister, but maybe it just isn't meant to be. I love my sister, and I know that I'll love that little girl if she'll give me a chance, but me being here isn't helping anymore. I told Angela everything I know, about being Kyle about the man that my Dad told me would kill my mother and my sister. I know that I've hurt Tempe and if I stay here, I feel like I'll just be hurting her more."

Booth grunted, "Nothing hurts her more than you leaving. You have to know that."

Russ dropped his bag and sat in one of the recently abandoned chairs. "I know, but..."

Booth sighed and picked up the bag for the man. "Just keep calling her. I'll try and get her to pick up the phone. If you ever need a place to stay in DC, I've got the extra bedroom. Keep in touch." Russ nodded and reached around his pocket for a few moments before pulling out Booth's own rumpled business card. Russ then carefully tucked it into his wallet and Booth nodded his approval, silently giving a concession to the agent. "Take care, Russ."

Russ took his bag out of the agent's hand and made his way onto the bus. He turned once and raised his hand in good-bye. Booth raised his own hand and then turned to make his way back to his car. A heavy weight was crushing his chest. He had, mostly accidentally, eavesdropped on Angela and Russ during their conversation. He understood more about Russ and why had had been less than truthful to the FBI, but still watching the man walk away was a hard thing to take.

Booth sat himself in his SUV and slammed the door with more force than was strictly necessary to get the door closed. He turned on the ignition and found himself driving around the city. The street lights had come on and the landmarks were showing off their glory in the twilight. Booth usually found some sort of comfort passing by the memorials, but he drove by without even seeing them. Booth drove around aimlessly until his gas light came on. Cursing, he pulled into a nearby station and filled the tank. Realizing that driving around the city was a waste of gas and time, and wasn't offering the comfort that it usually afforded; Booth went to Plan B.

Within thirty minutes, Booth had a piping hot order from Wong Foo's. He had promised the owner that this time the food would be eaten and apologized again for the scene from earlier in the day. Sid had just clapped the agent on the shoulder and loaded him with some extra fortune cookies. Booth approached his partner's door and was relieved when she opened it on the first knock. He'd been expecting to have to kick the door open in order to get his partner to speak to him. He didn't have time to ponder her mercurial moods, he simply thrust the box of food into her hands.

Brennan smiled at the offering of food. Truth be told, she was a little bit hungry; she hadn't eaten much dinner. Her smile faded slightly when she realized that her brother was not tagging behind Booth. "Where's Russ?"

"Halfway back to North Carolina." Booth's shoulders slumped as he told his partner the truth, but she just sniffed a bit and put an indifferent expression on her face. Booth could see through the front as her eyes had acquired the lost little girl look that he hated to see. Before he could say anything else, Brennan took the box a food and turned abruptly towards the kitchen.

"If you keep bringing Chinese food in the middle of the night, we're both gonna get fat."

Booth chuckled a bit, but refused to let her change the subject. "I know what you've been thinking."

"I doubt it." Brennan rattled around the kitchen, getting plates and allowing herself some space from Booth, but he simply followed behind her.

"You've been thinking that your family is made up of liars and criminals. And that makes you feel lonely. There's a story here we don't know yet."

Brennan set the plates down on the counter with a little more force than usual. "Like what?"

Booth's voice took on his familiar teasing tone, "Bones, 'don't know' means it's a mystery."

She had no response to that, and just took the supplies back into the living room. The partners settled onto the couch and Booth handed over her favorite dish. She handed him a glass of water and tried once again to change the subject. "What were your parents like?"

Booth took a long sip of water before laughing a bit. He had never gotten around to telling Brennan the stories of his past. He had told her about the pain from his days as a sniper, but he had never wanted to open up about his family. He felt a bit hypocritical that he was the one who kept pushing her to open up, but was unwilling to do so himself. Someday, she would learn the complete truth, but tonight he settled for telling her the Reader's Digest version. "My parents, uh... My dad, he, uh... He drove thuds and phantoms in Vietnam. Those are fighter jets. After that, he was a barber in Philadelphia and my mom, she wrote jingles for a local advertising agency."

Brennan seemed satisfied with the story, and looked at him ruefully. "So they didn't go out at night after you were asleep and rob banks?"

Booth mused that no they didn't rob banks, but his Dad did beat the living daylights out of him and his brother. One day, his Dad had gotten roaring drunk and knocked Booth around so bad that he ended up unconscious and with a concussion. The memories of that day were a bit blurry, but he had awoken to a panicked looking Jared and, inexplicably, his Pops. He had never seen his father again. And he didn't even want to think about his mother. He tried not to bury himself in his own tragedies and set down his plate.

He wasn't hungry for food anymore. Booth now craved the comfort that he and his partner so rarely offered each other. He reached a hand over to his partner and pulled her close. She was startled by the show of affection and barely managed to get her own plate on the coffee table.

"Listen, Bones. You know … Parents, um, they have secret lives. If they didn't, they wouldn't be parents." He had his own secret life from Parker. To Parker, Booth was a hero who served his country every day. Parker didn't know how many lives that Booth had taken, or the guilt that he felt over the lives of friends that he had been unable to save. Still holding his partner close, Booth inhaled her scent, it always served to relax and comfort him. At the soft sigh from Brennan, Booth's senses returned and he let her go, feeling cold at the loss of contact. He quickly stood up and took his plate to the sink.

"It is a little late for Chinese, isn't it? Thanks for the meal. See you tomorrow." Her eyebrow arched at him as he was the one who had brought the food, technically she should be thanking him. She did not have time to comment as the agent hurried out of the apartment, barely remembering to shut it softly in order to not disturb the sleeping girl in a bedroom down the hall. Booth braced himself against the back of Brennan's door for a few minutes. Part of him wanted to barge back in and apologize for leaving her and for being a coward, but he had reached his breaking point. He was exhausted and being haunted by the twin ghosts of his and his partner's past.

Taking a deep breath, Booth forced himself away from the door and made his way down the hallway. He took the stairs down to the lobby, too jumpy to stand still in a claustrophobic elevator. Then he slowly made it back to his apartment. As soon as he reached home he flopped onto his bed without even removing his jacket or his shoes. He drifted off to a fitful sleep. He was jolted awake when his cell phone rang loudly several hours later.

Groaning, Booth answered it. An irate Angela was on the other end. Booth pulled the phone away from his ear and waited for the lecture to stop. "Sorry, Angela. What was that?"

Angela huffed in exasperation. "Do you know what time it is? And do you know what your partner just did?"

Booth groaned, "No and no."

"It's 3:30 in the morning and Bren just showed up in the lab dragging Lucy behind her. On a school night, Booth. Lucy is currently sleeping in my office and Bren is up on the platform conversing with Zack about her mother's skull. You better get your cute butt back to the lab before I am forced to kick it into the Potomac."

Booth had no doubts that the fiery artist wouldn't make good on that promise and rubbed his eyes. "Just let me change my clothes, I'll be right in. Hold on, what are you and Zack still doing at the lab?"

"Hodgins is here too. None of us are leaving until we figure out what happened to Bren's mom. I caught a short nap earlier, but I'm still trying to clean up the sketch from Russ' description. It's been twenty-five years since he saw the guy. Something's not quite right with it, but I'll get it there."

Booth had gotten off of his bed and moved toward the bathroom, wanting to get a little cleaned up before he went back to the Jeffersonian. "Thanks for the call, Angela. I'll be right in."

Booth was halfway to the lab when his phone rang again. This time it was Charlie on the line. The man was yawning and the rustling of papers came over the line as well. Booth felt a rush of gratitude for the agents and squints who had given so much of themselves to help with the case.

"Booth, I've got good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"

"It's four in the morning, Charlie. Spit it out, I'm not in the mood for games."

"We got a hit on the blood from Dr. Brennan's parents' car. The problem is it's a closed file." Booth swore and his SUV swerved on the road. He clicked his phone shut and threw it on the floor of his car in frustration. He took two calming breaths and continued on the way to the Jeffersonian.

With Angela's stern lecture, he expected her to be pacing the lab just waiting to lay into him. Instead the lab was ghostly quiet. Zack was on the platform, his back to the agent and squinting at a screen. Booth heard a single snore, and realized that Hodgins was catching his own nap on the couch in the lounge upstairs. He resisted the urge to check on Lucy in Angela's office and went directly to his partner.

The door to her office opened silently, and he wasn't prepared to find her sleeping on her couch. He figured that she'd be typing away, or analyzing something. He knew why she was here. She couldn't sleep in her own bed; her own thoughts raced too fast to allow her to relax enough for sleep. But here in her lab, she could focus and compartmentalize. This was her house of reason, and it afforded her the peace of mind that she couldn't allow herself at home.

Booth stepped closer to the sleeping scientist. He had watched her sleep before, but he was still amazed at how beautiful she was when she was sleeping. Well, she was always beautiful, but it was different when she was asleep. Taking a life of its own, his hand reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair back behind her ears. He inwardly cursed himself for becoming a walking cliche, but his hand stayed near her cheek, not quite touching her, but still feeling the warmth from her cheek. Suddenly, her hand was on his, and she mumbled sleepily. "I'm awake."

Booth nodded sarcastically, "Yeah, I could see that. Bones, what are you doing here at the lab?"

Brennan sat up a little straighter and glanced at the clock on the wall. "I could ask you the same thing."

So she clearly wasn't going to acknowledge getting a ten year old girl out of bed at three in the morning and dragging her into the lab. And she clearly wasn't going to talk about why she couldn't sleep in her own bed. He would just have to roll with it. He took a seat beside her on the couch, their hands still lightly entwined. Subconsciously, he rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand.

"We caught a break on the DNA in the car."

Her hand squeezed just a bit tighter. "You know who is it?"

His thumb pressed another soothing circle on her hand, and Booth continued speaking. "Not exactly. See it's a closed file. Whoever it is, is in Witness Protection. I'll make a request, but they're pretty tight over there."

Booth could have swore that Brennan was about to follow up his comment with one of her patented, "I don't know what that means." Instead, the next words belonged to Angela.

"What if you had a face?"

Brennan and Booth both turned to the artist. Brennan squinted at the pencil drawing. "Who's that?"

Angela took a step closer to the partners. Ever observant she noticed that Booth was still holding Brennan's hand, but she let it slide. "Somebody your father pointed out to Russ when he was seven. Somebody he's still afraid of."

Brennan's hand pulled away from Booth. Her voice was sad as she told Angela, "Russ went home."

"I'm sorry, Sweetie. I know that you miss him. He'll be back. Isn't that right, Booth?"

Booth stood from the couch and took the sketch from Angela. He forced himself to adopt a cheery tone, hoping against hope that Russ wouldn't disappear again. "Sure he will, Bones. He's got my card, your number. He just had to get back to work. No worries."

Angela nodded approvingly and Brennan's head also bobbed in agreement, even if she didn't believe a word coming out of either of their mouths. Once again feeling awkward and a bit useless he took another glance at the sketch in his hands. "Hey, know what? I'm gonna play hardball with Witness Protection. If they don't cooperate, I'm gonna put his face in the paper."

From the couch, Brennan smiled. "Wouldn't you get in trouble for that?"

Booth just shrugged. "Well, we'll find out." He walked out of the door.

Now that Booth was gone and her work was done, Angela could afford to needle her friend. "You know what? Sometimes, he is just... Whew." Brennan looked down at the hand that Booth had so tenderly held just a few moments before and then looked up at her best female friend and gave her a puzzling smile. Angela's jaw almost dropped. "What?"

"Excuse me, Angela. I think I am going to try and rest a bit more rest." Angela just nodded and backed her way out the office. Maybe, just maybe, Brennan wasn't as clueless as Angela made her out to be.


	15. Give My Love to Rose

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: I'm back. I hope you missed me. This chapter ended up being one of my favorite chapters of the whole series so far. Some big things are happening! It's also nice and long to apologize for the long delay. I hope that you enjoy it.

Chapter 14: Give My Love to Rose

May 8, 2006 Vince McVicar's farm

Booth arrived back at the Hoover and sent an exhausted Charlie home to bed. The junior agent had been grateful to be relieved of his duties and Booth clapped the man on the shoulder. Charlie was a good soul and got too little credit for the work that he did. Booth added giving some recognition to Charlie to the long list of promises that he always made to himself. Promises that he always kept no matter the personal cost.

Booth had been drooling slightly onto his desk when the call came back from Witness Protection. They were quite snippy with him, as it wasn't every day that someone from another agency threatened to blow the whistle on a hidden criminal. Booth was too exhausted and irritable to be very polite on the phone, but within five minutes he had all of the information that he needed. Feeling slightly energized now that he had a solid lead, Booth dragged himself back to his SUV. He stopped for a large coffee for himself and his partner. Once again, Booth found himself at the Jeffersonian lab at way too early of an hour. He managed to resurface at the lab just as the team was once again discussing the skull on the platform.

"Bones, I got what I need from Witness Protection. Let's go for a drive." He handed Brennan the warm coffee and she smiled a bit as she inhaled the rich scent. She turned from the platform, walking close beside her partner. His free hand found its spot on her back and silently offered her the support that she still needed; support that she would never admit that she appreciated. Just before they stepped off of the platform, Brennan turned to face her team. Booth stopped along side her and watched her with a curious gaze.

"Everybody. Thank you. I... Thank you." Her voice cracked a bit, and Booth's arm snaked around her waist, pulling her a bit tighter. He offered a smile to the team, and even Zack seemed affected by the depth of emotion that had sprung from the usually stoic scientist. Angela wiped at her eyes and Hodgins rested a hand on the artist's arm. Booth cleared his own throat, and gently led his partner out of the lab and out to Vince McVicar's pig farm.

The ride had been silent. Booth had even turned the radio to NPR, hoping to get Brennan riled up by whatever topic they were discussing, but she seemed to have no interest in the programming. She managed to make the cup of coffee last the entire hour and a half ride, using it as a cover to keep her looking occupied and preventing Booth from asking prying questions. He managed to ask if Lucy was going to school that day despite her early morning transfer to the Jeffersonian. Brennan had just nodded and turned back to staring out of the passenger side window.

Booth respected his partner's need for silence until they had parked the car. He exited and wandered over to the passenger door, holding it open for Brennan. She looked at him pointedly, but he ignored it.

"OK, Bones." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Just listen to me. This guy, McVicar, he might be a pig farmer now, but he used to be a mechanic with ties to the strong-arm crew that your parents ran away from."

"A mechanic? Like Russ."

Booth shook his head, and squeezed her shoulders a bit tighter. "Not like Russ. Russ, he fixes things. This guy, he used to kill people."

Brennan wanted to comment, she still had so much that she wanted to say about her brother, but she was interrupted by the man that they had come to see.

"Can I help you folks?"

Booth had instantly released his partner and drawn his weapon. "Yeah, put your hands up. Do it."

The man put his arms up, and Booth sent his partner over to check for weapons. He had smugly commented that he was always right when his partner pulled two concealed guns from the man. The farmer sneered at Booth, as Brennan disarmed the weapons.

Booth introduced himself, "I'm FBI. I know who you are."

The man put on a semi-convincing expression, "Steve Beers, Pig Farmer."

Booth's tone was mocking as he corrected the witness, "Vince McVicar. The pig farmer, huh?"

McVicar's expression turned into a sneer. "You want to talk to Vince McVicar. You do it through the Federal Marshals."

Booth scoffed, "I do it through the Federal Marshals, I'm gonna have to tell them about a pig farmer who carries two concealed weapons."

Brennan popped out from behind McVicar. "Three. .22 in the small of his back."

Booth addressed the anthropologist, ".22. I'm always right."

Now it was his partner's turn to scoff. "No you're not." She held the third gun at McVicar's back.

"Yes, I am." Brennan pushed the gun a little closer to the witness and Booth looked at his partner in exasperation. "Bones, will you put the gun down!"

McVicar was not amused by the antics of the duo who had trained guns on his body. "What do you want?"

Brennan released her grip on the weapon and moved to face the man. "I'm Ruth Keenan's daughter."

The man was now astonished. It had been a long time since he had heard that name. "Joy? You're Joy Keenan? Yeah, I can see that." He laughed a bit, and Brennan flinched. Booth, although he could not see his partner's face, took a side-step closer to Brennan.

Booth relaxed the grip on his own gun and holstered the weapon. "Let's talk."

Within a few minutes, McVicar had led the two to a stable. Booth could tell that every word coming out of the man's mouth was a lie, but his partner was unable to make that distinction. He wanted to warn Brennan not to listen to a word that the man said, but he couldn't find the opportunity. And then the man started spinning a story that he and Ruth Keenan had been in love and run off together.

Booth's hands fisted at his side. The man had gone too far. Brennan's world had crashed down around her when her parents and Russ had disappeared. It had been rebuilt and then crushed again upon discovery of her mother's murder. And now, this man was attempting to take away the few pure, happy memories of Brennan's childhood. Her parents many have been criminals, but Booth firmly believed that they loved their children and that they had loved each other.

McVicar continued to spin his yarn, "Me and Ruthie had run off together. Max caught us pulling into a motel outside of Champaign, Illinois. We were nuts about each other, Ruthie and me. Crazy in love."

Booth could take it no longer, "OK, let's just skip that part."

"Well, he hit Ruthie first."

Brennan looked as if someone had just slapped her. "With what?"

"Tire iron. Hit my arm, caught me a roundhouse to the head. Lights out, baby. I came to, Ruthie and Max were gone. Never saw neither of them again. You ask me, Max killed Ruthie and buried her somewhere and vanished. Our plan, once we set up, most likely in Florida, was to bring you down. Your father is a hard man, Joy."

On one level, Brennan knew that the man was lying. Brennan knew that her mother hated Florida. She had always loved snow and had often said that she enjoyed living in a place that had seasons, as long as she didn't have to shovel the sidewalk. And some part of Brennan's mind could rationalize that the man would have been having an affair that lasted over 13 years. Her parents had always been so close, she couldn't imagine her mother having a decade long affair with any man, let alone this pitiful excuse for a criminal. Still, she was a terrible judge of character, and her parents had indeed lied to her during her childhood, was it such a stretch to believe that her mother had loved another man, had wanted a different life? The hateful man's hateful words were having their intended effect and Brennan's chest began to hurt.

Brennan couldn't stop the sob that suddenly escaped her. Instantly, Booth was at her side as she attempted to stifle another cry. "My name is Brennan. I'm Dr." Her voice broke again. "I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan."

McVicar sneered again at the woman and her partner. He could tell that the agent was suspicious of him, but the woman was weak. All he had to do was make up a few lies and she was crying like a baby. He walked out of the barn thinking smugly that Joy Keenan was no threat to him.

Booth and Brennan missed the man walking out, but Booth couldn't have cared less. Brennan had turned and buried her face into his chest as she continued to cry. "I work at the Jeffersonian Institution. I'm a Forensic Anthropologist. I specialize in identif... in identifying... in identifying people when nobody knows who they are. My father was a science teacher. My mother was a bookkeeper. My brother is a mechanic, he fixes things. I have a daughter." Her voice broke once more and Booth pulled her tighter to his chest. She took one deep, steadying breath and spoke once more before her emotions once again took control. "I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan."

Booth didn't think that he could hold his partner any tighter without hurting her, so he settled for tucking his own head close to Brennan and whispering into her ear. "I know who you are. Shh. I know who you are, baby. I know." Her breath hitched again in her chest, and Booth found that he could holder a little bit tighter after all. "It's OK. Shh. It's gonna be all right." Booth continued to hold her until her sobs quieted. It might have been seconds or hours, Booth wasn't really sure. Finally, Brennan stood up a little straighter and gazed into his eyes.

"Thank you, Booth."

Booth said nothing, but released one of the arms that he had around his partner in order to brush a lingering tear from her cheek. Her blue eyes were still clouded with unshed tears. Without thinking, he leaned forward and brushed a soft kiss onto her lips. "You're welcome, Bones. Let's get out of here." Brennan nodded and let Booth lead her out of the barn, tightly clasping her left hand.

Booth let her sit in silence for the bulk of the ride home, but eventually he could take it no longer. His reached across to the passenger side and clasped one of Brennan's hands.

"Bones, I hope you know that everything that man said was a lie."

"You can't know that Booth, we don't have all of the necessary evidence."

"There is no way your dad hit your mom. No way." Booth squeezed her hand, more to comfort himself and his own memories than to soothe his partner. When she tenderly squeezed his own hand in response, he felt some of his own tension leave his body.

Brennan turned to stare out of the window for a moment, composing her own thoughts. She never released the grip on his hand and soon turned back to him. "If he caught them together..."

"There is no way that your mom cheated on your dad. No way."

"You never met them, Booth. You don't know what kind of people they were."

Booth sighed and pulled his hand away from his partner and rubbed it through his hair. He settled both of his hands on the steering wheel. Risking a quick glance at Brennan, he noticed that she had clasped her own hands together in her lap, although her eyes were focused on the steering wheel. More specifically, her eyes watched the hand that had held hers as it now made small corrections along the highway that they were traveling. Turning his eyes back to the road, Booth spoke. "Look Bones, men like McVicar, they lie the way you take a drink of water. McVicar, he killed people, then snitched to save his own ass."

Brennan addressed her partner, looking now at his profile as he drove. "You don't believe him?"

Booth turned from the road to Brennan, "No, Bones. I don't believe him."

"Give me one piece of evidence that doesn't back up his story."

"Your school sticker on the back of your parents' car... it was scraped off."

"What does that prove?"

"Well, the only reason to do that was to keep you and Russ hidden, safe."

"From McVicar."

"Yeah, McVicar performed hits for the crew your mom and dad ran out on."

Brennan looked unconvinced, "What else?"

"Well, there's a story that tracks for me, but without evidence, it's just a story."

Brennan's hands unclasped, and one reached back over to Booth. He released his own hand from the steering wheel and once again found himself holding hands with his partner. She squeezed his hand in gratitude as the united fingers rested on her lap. "Tell me."

"Your parents go out Christmas shopping one day. They spot McVicar, the hit man. They lead him away from your home."

Brennan continued the story. "Scrape off the name of the school so he can't trace it back to me and Russ."

"He takes out your father."

"And my mother gets away with a head wound."

Booth nodded and continued his take on the events. "She leaves the car a thousand miles away, finds friends, but she can never go back to see you guys because the crew is still looking for her." He held her hand just a bit tighter, "I don't know, Bones. It's just a story. But it explains why your mother never came back for you."

Brennan shrugged, "It fits the evidence."

They feel back into silence, but Brennan's thumb began to rub circles around the back of Booth's hand. Her free hand reached up and touched her lips. Only know did he realize that in the musty barn that belonged to "Steve Beers, pig farmer" he had kissed his partner. He had wanted to take all of her pain away and to give her comfort, and he had leaned forward and kissed her. It was the wrong time, and definitely the wrong place, but it felt right. It had felt _so_ right. He continued to dwell on the kiss as Brennan's mind was preoccupied with her own thoughts.

Booth had called her baby. He had called her baby and he had kissed her. Not a real kiss, just a peck really. But even now, an hour later, she could still feel his lips on her own. Brennan couldn't process it. She flashed back to a quiet February night when she was ten years old. Her mother had gotten into a minor fender bender due to the icy conditions on her way home from work. No one was injured and the car was only scratched, but her mother had been rattled. Brennan had sat at the edge of the coffee table, doing some homework when her father had come into the living room and sat next to his wife on the couch.

"Dishes are done. You OK, darlin'?"

Christine Brennan had turned to her husband and he had opened his arms wide for her. She snuggled into his chest. "I'm fine, Matt. Really."

"Good. I'm glad you're home safe, baby."

The girl at the edge of the table looked up from her math worksheet. "Dad, why did you call Mom 'baby'? She's not an infant."

Both parents chuckled a bit and Matt Brennan extended an arm out to his daughter. Brennan made her way over to the couch and settled next to her father. "It's a term of endearment, Tempe. With the people that you love, you might call them Sweetheart, or Baby, or Honey."

Brennan wrinkled her nose. "Nicknames are silly."

Matthew chuckled again and Christine spoke. "Maybe they are silly, but they can be nice sometimes. It just means that someone cares about you."

Brennan pondered the new info. "So when Russ calls me Buttface, he's trying to tell me that he cares about me? I don't think so."

Matthew called out to Russ who despite the fact that they had finished dinner not half an hour ago was already rooting through the fridge for a snack. "Russ, don't call your sister a Buttface." He turned to his daughter. "And if he does, you just kick him in the shin."

Christine softly slapped her husband. "_Honey_, Violence is never the answer."

Matt pressed a quick kiss to his wife's lips. "But sometimes it just feels darn good, _Angel_."

Brennan giggled a bit at her parents' antics and Matt nudged her. "OK, kiddo. Get back to work. Someone around here needs to get an A in math, and Lord knows it won't be your brother. Go on, _Little One_."

Brennan huffed a bit at the name, but obediently went back to her homework. She quickly finished, but remained at her seat, watching her parents as they continued to cuddle on the couch and talk quietly, throwing in as many silly nicknames that they could think of. Brennan continued to reminisce, just as her dad had called her mom _Pookie_, the car hit a small bump in the road and she was brought back to present day.

"Booth, McVicar was lying. There is no way that my mother cheated on my father. They loved each other very much."

Booth smiled a bit and squeezed her hand, the one that he had been holding now for almost fifteen minutes. "All right. You know what? The weapons that McVicar had on him, they're a violation of his agreement with the Witness Protection Program. I'm gonna take him into custody. I'm gonna get a warrant. I'm gonna search his farm."

"Search for what?"

"McVicar liked to bash in people's heads. Maybe we'll get lucky and match the weapon he used on your mother."

"It's unlikely."

"In that case, we'll still ruin his day." Booth reluctantly pulled his hand away in order to reach his phone and call some agents to collect the weapons and have them sent to the Jeffersonian. The instant he hung up the phone, he placed it back in his pocket and reached out for his partners hand which she gratefully grabbed. "You OK there, Bones?"

Brennan nodded before realizing that with his eyes on the road, Booth couldn't see her. She settled for giving his hand one last squeeze. "Did I ever tell you that I don't mind it when you call me 'Bones?' My mother once told me that giving someone a nickname means that they care about you. I have come to agree with that opinion."

Booth couldn't think of any appropriate response, but he couldn't keep the grin off of his face.


	16. Coming Home

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Oh goodness! A semi-regular update. Another decently lengthy chapter. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 15: Coming Home

May 9, 2006 Vince McVicar's Farm

Goodman had come into the lab the previous evening and had sent everyone home to get a decent nights sleep and to start fresh in the morning. They all protested, but the bags under the eyes of the entire team, and a sleeping Lucy on the couch of her mother's office had convinced everyone that it was time to go home. Booth had personally dropped off Brennan and Lucy and had offered to stay the night, but Brennan had insisted that he go home. She also requested that he shower as he smelled a bit like pig farm.

Booth had chuckled and silently agreed, but he had a hard time pulling himself away from Brennan's apartment. It hadn't helped that Brennan had stood on her toes and kissed his stubbled cheek before playfully shoving him out of the door. Something had changed between the partners. They couldn't exactly define the change, and they didn't dare talk about it, but the change had happened all the same. Brennan had drawn herself a hot bath and had relaxed for a bit with a small glass of wine. She couldn't help thinking about the day's events. And to her surprise, she didn't focus on McVicar and the hateful things that he had said.

Instead she thought of the tender kiss that her partner had placed on her lips and the way that he had held her hand. She drained the tub and began to get ready for bed. In the mirror she could see the pink tinge to her cheeks. She tried to blame the heat of the tub and the properties of the alcohol, but the part of her that was always honest realized that there may have been another reason for the blush. She quickly dressed and buried herself under the covers. Before she could fall asleep, she found herself out of bed and grabbing her phone out of her bag.

Booth was in his own bed, when a text reached him. "Good night, Booth." He quickly clicked some keys and sent his own message. He then rolled over and fell into a deep sleep.

Brennan smiled as her phone buzzed, "Night, Bones. Sleep well :)" She groaned a bit at the strange symbol that Angela often used as she hadn't expected it of Booth, but she understood its purpose. She placed her phone on her bedside table and was also able to rest relatively worry free for an evening.

The morning had come too early, but Brennan had prepared Lucy for school and found herself at the lab before her team. She took her time to look over the tools that had been collected from McVicar's farm. The FBI had cataloged them and sent them to the lab late the previous evening and Brennan used the quiet of the morning to sort and observe the various items. Zack and Hodgins arrived together and Angela followed shortly after with a box of pastries for the group. They spent about an hour examining the tools before Booth arrived. The group continued their analysis before coming to conclusion that nothing that the FBI had confiscated could have been the murder weapon.

The debate continued until Brennan had an inspiration, taken from Booth's description of McVicar's kills. "It's always the forehead?"

Booth nodded, "Yeah. That's his signature kill. Not that anyone could ever prove it."

"You said guys like McVicar get comfortable with a way of killing."

Booth looked a bit unsure as he addressed his partner. "Yeah."

"Where did McVicar grow up?"

Booth was slowly catching on, but let his partner finish her thought process. "He grew up a farm kid in Iowa. Why?"

"How do you slaughter a pig?"

Within the hour, Booth and Brennan were once again on their way to the pig farm. They managed to chat along the way, mostly about safe topics such as Parker and Lucy and Booth was relieved that he didn't have to spend an hour and a half in silence. The partners kept their hands to themselves, and they were both slightly disappointed by that fact. The partners were not what anyone would consider shy, but neither one of them was able to broach the subject of the previous day. The closest they came was the briefest squeeze that Booth gave Brennan before they exited the SUV once they had reached the farm.

They had been beaten to the farm by another set of agents, and a few techs and the partners found themselves leaning against a rickety fence and waiting for something to turn up. Booth's hand pulled at some of the tall grasses by the fence post as Brennan's keen eye scanned her surroundings. Her eye was drawn to movement as two agents were leading McVicar outside. The man's eyes lit up and his expression changed as he saw "Joy Keenan" standing near his fence.

Brennan was nauseated by his expression and nudged her partner. "Why is he here?"

Booth scowled at the man, "He gets nervous, we know we're getting close."

Brennan was so distracted by the leering McVicar that she jumped slightly when a tech came up beside her. Booth's hand was instantly at her back and she relaxed a bit into his touch as the tech handed Brennan an object.

"Found this in the barn. It's a spring-loaded captive bolt stunner. The animals restrained. It's pressed to the forehead."

Brennan turned the stunner over in her hands and walked over to a taller point in the fence. She pressed the stunner against the weathered wood and pulled the trigger. There was a surprising amount of recoil and a good chunk of the fence had been blown away.

Booth couldn't contain his reaction, "Woah!"

The tech looked on in disgust, "What kind of person could use this on a human being?"

Brennan glared at the tech. "What kind of person could use this on a pig?"

Booth handled the weapon now. "It's the perfect dodge. Blood, flesh. It can all be explained."

Brennan's own nausea returned a bit. "I think I just became a vegetarian."

Booth handed her back the stunner and gave her shoulder a quick squeeze. "So what do you think?"

Brennan scrutinized the tool in her hand. "Yeah. Same shape as a tire iron, but smaller. This could be a match."

McVicar's expression had changed once he had seen part of his fence blown away. He hadn't counted on anyone figuring out his secret. Perhaps he had underestimated the good doctor. "Before you decide anything, we should talk."

Booth nudged his partner, "I'd call that nervous, wouldn't you?" They made their way over to the criminal.

"There's no way to prove that's the exact weapon that killed your mother or anyone else."

Booth looked at his partner in admiration, "You'd be surprised what she can prove."

McVicar ignored the comment. He turned to Brennan "I need to speak to you alone."

Booth had to restrain himself from punching the guy. "Forget it."

Booth put herself between her partner and McVicar. "Booth, it's all right."

"No."

Brennan was once again exasperated with her partner. She could protect herself. "It's all right."

Booth forced himself back between his partner and McVicar. He couldn't stop from poking a finger into the man's chest. "You got two ways to look at this. One is, you score a private chat. The second one is, you attack her and I'll drill you through the forehead."

McVicar tried to adopt an innocent tone, "How could I possibly attack her?"

Booth's voice was low and dangerous as he spoke. "I'll decide what is and isn't an attack... like say, a hiccup."

Brennan pushed Booth out of the way. "Booth. Come on."

Booth gave a reluctant nod and watched as Brennan walked off with McVicar. He barely even blinked, ready to step in at the first sign of distress from his partner.

Brennan determined that she was out of earshot of Booth and spoke. "You killed my mother."

McVicar gave a short bark of a laugh, "Gonna be hard to convince a jury."

"I'm pretty persuasive. I'll put you away."

The farmer smirked. He had made her cry once, he could do it again. She was weak and he could easily manipulate her. "Here's the thing, Joy. Two people know what really happened that night. Me and your father."

Brennan shrugged. "You killed him before you attacked my mother."

"Then how did I get this scar on my head? You got a choice, Joy. You drop the bolt stunner down the well, and you'll know what happened. You put me in front of a jury, not only will you fail to convict, but you'll never know the truth." Her lip quivered a bit and McVicar nearly howled in triumph. He'd spend the rest of his days sitting here on his farm, breathing the fresh air of freedom as Steve Beers. He attempted the hammer the final nail in the coffin. "You can't live with that, Joy. You can't live not knowing."

Brennan risked a quick glance at her partner. He started to walk towards her, ready to step in, but she shook her head at him. He stopped and nodded at her, encouraging her to stand up to the man who had caused her so much pain. Brennan addressed her mother's murderer.

"I found out what happened to my mother. I will find out what happened to my father, too." She started to walk away before she turned back one more time. Her eyes flashed in anger, and for the first time McVicar knew that he had underestimated Joy Keenan. "Next time you address me, use my name. It's Doctor. Temperance. Brennan."

"You will never know what happened to your father." Brennan ignored the man and just walked towards her partner.

"Can we get out of here?"

"Sure thing, Bones." He pulled out his keys and tossed them to his partner. "Go on, start up the engine, I'll be right there."

Booth shared s few well chosen words with his fellow agents and techs. McVicar was being led into the back of a car, practically spitting in anger. Booth nodded in approval as one of the agents pushed McVicar's head into the SUV with a bit more force than was strictly necessary. He said a short good-bye and made his way over to his own vehicle.

"You hungry, Bones?"

"I could eat."

"Let's get some food then. Lead the way." Booth refrained from comment as his partner turned on the county road heading the car south, instead of north, towards home. They travelled for about half an hour before Brennan found a spot that she deemed suitable for lunch and they stopped for a quick bite. True to her word, Brennan did not order anything with meat, and looked a bit disgusted when Booth dove into a cheeseburger. He had at least asked the waitress to hold the bacon, but she was still a bit nauseous at the sight.

Their quick bite turned into a leisurely lunch. The case was mostly closed. There was still the mystery of what had happened to Brennan's father, but for now the partners could relax. Booth flirted a bit with the matronly waitress, and she gave the agent extra fries that Brennan happily stole off of the plate. They split a shake; Brennan getting the glass, and Booth taking the leftover shaker. They dawdled over coffee, coffee that they didn't really need after splitting dessert, but it was a convenient excuse to linger and relieve some tension from the the previous week.

Brennan paid the bill with the mildest of protests from Booth, but he easily relinquished the need to be in control to his partner. They thanked the waitress for their pleasant meal and got back into the car. Booth was only mildly surprised when she continued to point the car south. He was about to call her on it, when she broke the silence.

"Why are you letting me drive?"

"It's your reward."

Brennan looked confused as she put on the signal and merged onto a larger highway. "For what?"

Booth grinned, "For totally pissing off a hit man." He abruptly changed topics, trying to take advantage of his partner's good mood. "Can I read your book?"

Brennan wasn't fooled as she passed a slow moving pick-up truck. "After it comes out."

"Not before?"

"No."

Booth became petulant. "But, I let you drive."

She smiled her crooked smile, "Just let it go."

"Where are we going?" Booth had known exactly where they were headed when they had left McVicar's place, but he asked anyway.

"I'd like to make up for a little lost time."

"I'm proud of you, Temperance."

"For what?"

Booth didn't really have an answer, but it wasn't needed. One of Brennan's hands slipped off of the steering wheel and came to her side. Booth snatched it up and held it near his own lap as they drove through the rest of Virginia and crossed into North Carolina.

The two wandered around the carnival for a short period of time. The sun had set and the lights of the carnival glowed as barkers called out for customers. Booth would have liked to reach out again for his partner's hand, maybe try his luck in the "Tunnel of Love" that was currently blaring sappy music, but Brennan's eye had been caught by the Ferris Wheel. The lights of the wheel were mesmerizing and Booth willingly followed his partner toward the attraction. As suspected, Russ was tinkering with the engine of the ride in between passengers.

Booth nudged his partner. "I'm gonna go get a funnel cake. OK?" She nodded and made her way closer to the ride. Her brother looked up, put his tools down and walked towards Brennan, wiping the grease from his hands.

She smiled at him and reached into her pocket. "I have something for you." She handed Russ his marble and he took it gratefully, holding it up to the light from a nearby ride.

"Thanks, Tempe."

Brennan took a deep breath and a small step towards her brother. "Russ. You were right. You were only 19, but at the time, I didn't understand what that meant. Sometimes people need to explain things to me, I guess."

Russ couldn't help but notice the agent in the background and smiled a bit. "Then, you have to let them talk to you." Russ knew that the "them" was really a "him," but he didn't need to tease his sister about it at just that moment.

Brennan bit her lip and addressed her brother. "If you can maybe come back and stay a couple days longer? Please? At my place, I mean. Lucy and I have room, and I would like for you to really get to know her. She deserves to have an uncle like you in her life. Please?"

Russ was a bit blown away by his sister's earnestness behind the invitation as well as the fear that he would say no. It may cost him his crappy job, which wouldn't make his parole officer happy, but some things were more important. He wasn't going to let his sister down again. He smiled at his sister. "Marco."

Brennan's eyes glowed from the lights of the ride and she closed the gap between her and her brother. "Polo." She rapped herself around her brother, and he was quick to return the hug. He nodded his head at Booth, who had looked on in approval and admiration. Russ continued to hug his sister, knowing that now he had a real chance at a relationship with Brennan.

Eventually, the siblings separated and returned to Booth. Brennan looked at him in confusion as he was funnel-cake-less, but she chose to ignore the discrepancy. Booth found himself once again dropping Russ off at a motel so that he could grab his bag and check-out and the trio made their way back to DC. Brennan and Russ spent the entire ride sharing stories from their childhood, mostly about times that they had gotten each other in trouble. Booth acted as chauffeur and remained silent except for joining the siblings with an occasional chuckle.

The group arrived back in DC and picked up Lucy from Angela's apartment. The girl had been indulged with too much sugar; and the excitement that Russ was back, that her grandmother's murder mystery had been solved, and the fact that Booth had kept his hand glued to her mother's back had all contributed to the girl bouncing quite literally off of the walls. She had leaped into Russ' arms and had started chattering to him the entire way home. No one seemed to remember that Brennan had driven herself into work that morning, they just made a quick stop for a pizza and had returned to the apartment. Booth carried the box up to his partner's home while Russ carried his bags.

The group made their way into the apartment and Booth placed the pizza box on the table. Brennan and Lucy made their way into the kitchen. Brennan called out to the crowd in the living room. "Anybody thirsty?"

Russ glanced at his watch and called out to his sister. "Is it too late for a beer?"

Booth looked around the room and decided that he wanted to leave the family some time to bond. He didn't want to intrude. "I gotta go. Rebecca has an early morning meeting and I'm supposed to pick up Parker and take him to school. I should go home and get some sleep." He had just turned towards the door when he noticed Brennan's manuscript on the counter. The title of "Bone Free" was crossed out. His curiosity piqued, Booth changed his mind. "You know what, I've got some time. Yeah, I'll take one."

Russ studied the man who was grinning at the stack of papers. "Seems like you have a great boy there, Booth."

"Yeah. I do." Booth lifted up the front page of the manuscript and read the dedication page. It read, "This book is for my partner and friend, Special Agent Seeley Booth." There was a second entry on the page with Lucy's name also crossed out. Booth squinted a bit at the print and then smiled at the correction. The second paragraph now simply read, "And as always, for Squirt."

Russ smiled at the goofy grin that had spread across Booth's face, although he wasn't sure of the exact cause. Russ made some friendly conversation with the agent. "The woman I'm seeing, she's got uh, two daughters."

Booth dropped the page, just as Brennan and Lucy came back into the room, armed with plates, napkins and drinks. they set down the plates and grabbed the drinks and joined the men. Brennan handed the beers to the men, as Lucy handed her mother a glass of wine and held onto her own glass of grape juice. Booth accepted the drink gratefully and turned to Russ.

"Nice. Girls are nice."

Russ smiled at the partners and caught a wink from Lucy. She held up her glass and proposed a toast. "To us."

Russ joined in as he returned the wink, "Whoever the hell we are."

Brennan smiled a soft smile and chimed in, "To what we're becoming."

Booth's bottle also raised, "Better people every day."

All four members clinked their containers and took a long sip. Booth and Russ sighed in satisfaction as Brennan made her way over to the blinking light of her answering machine.

The computerized voice spoke first, "New message recorded today. 3PM."

The following message caused the bottle and glass in the siblings' hands to fall away from their faces. The voices was familiar and one that they hadn't heard in fifteen years. "Temperance? You have to stop looking. You have to stop looking for me right now. This is bigger and worse than you know. Please stop now."

Booth looked to his partner with worry. "Who's that?"

Lucy wrapped her arm around her mother, also disturbed by her mother's reaction. Brennan's eyes flicked between Russ and Booth. "That was my father."

The disembodied voice on the machine had paused, but before the message ended it spoke again. "And Lucy, I love you and your mother, very much. Never forget that, Sweetheart, your grandfather loves you."

Brennan set down her glass and pulled her daughter to her side. Her frightened eyes looked to Booth as he stood still in shock, staring at the answering machine, the beer warming in his hands and the pizza cooling forgotten on the table.


	17. Pack Up Your Sorrows

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: OK, the final section of the first part of my story. I've had the next chapter written since before I finished If I Needed Someone. I think that you guys will really like where the next section is going. Anyway, enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 16: Pack Up Your Sorrows  
May 19, 2006

Russ spent over a week with his sister and his niece, but they never really got the relaxing visit getting to know each other again. Their father's message had once again tilted the world off of its axis. Brennan had given Booth the tape from her machine after listening to it half a dozen times. Booth had attempted to trace the call, and pull in any favor in the tech department at the bureau. They were able to come up that the call was made from a payphone at a local mall, but it was nearly impossible to canvas the area. Booth even had the phone dusted for prints and the ensuing headache had Booth buying several rounds of drinks at a local bar as a thank you and an apology. Still, there were no leads that came of it.

Brennan had then given the tape to Angela and asked her to analyze it, but other than confirming that the call came from the mall based on ambient noise, she was unable to provide any other closure. Angela had gotten herself access to the mall security tapes, but it seemed that people trying to disguise their identity as they moved in and out of the mall was something of a fashion statement. Even her mass recognition program turned up too many potential suspects to allow her to narrow the search any further. She had nearly kicked the Angelator in frustration. The look on Brennan's face when Angela told her that there was nothing helpful in the footage broke Angela's heart. Brennan, however, had quickly masked the look, turned to a set of remains and asked Angela to perform a reconstruction. Angela had sighed, but meekly obeyed.

The week had also included finishing the paperwork on the case and the release of Christine Brennan's remains. Brennan had taken a nearly unprecedented day off and she and Russ had spent some time with a funeral director. They had planned a simple casket and Brennan had ordered a rather elaborate headstone. Russ had grimaced at the expense of what Brennan had proposed, but she had simply pulled out her checkbook and covered the cost. It had led to an argument between the siblings, but Brennan was used to arguing over who was paying for what and just ignored her brother.

It was drizzling the morning that the family gathered to properly bury Christine's remains, but by the time that the group had gathered at the cemetery that Brennan had chosen, the sun was shining. Lucy had stood stoically beside her mother and uncle. Booth wished that he could be standing next to his partner, and offering support. He had been separated from the unit and now stood with Angela, who openly wept for her friend. Hodgins had tried to offer support, but Angela had brushed him aside and he stood glumly next to Zack and Goodman.

Booth had been surprised that another small group was banded together, standing a little further away from the casket. Booth recognized Carter who was flanked by his father, whom Booth now recognized as a former Redskins player. Booth was mildly impressed, but it did little to ease his fears about the young boy and Lucy. They had been joined by the blond girl he had seen at the school two weeks ago, joined by her parents and likely an older sister. Booth surmised correctly that the girl was Madison, Lucy's best friend. Lucy had given her classmates one wave in acknowledgment and then clung tighter to her mother, wiping some tears away with her sleeve.

Brennan had not permitted a member of the clergy to participate at the service, but she and Russ had thanked everyone for coming and then Russ said a brief good-bye to his mother. Brennan had then nodded to the cemetery workers for them to finish with their job as she walked away from the casket and towards the small groups gathered. Russ and Brennan performed their duties in their short receiving line. They shook hands with Lucy's friends and Lucy received several hugs, including one very awkward one from Carter, which at least brought a small smile to Angela as a frown etched itself into Booth's face.

Booth stood at the end of the line, waiting for everyone else to offer his sympathies before he approached the family. He had first offered a hug to Lucy and a firm hand shake to Russ before turning to his partner. She had returned the hug he offered woodenly and pulled away quickly. Once again Booth felt that he had taken two steps back with Brennan. She needed time to process and grieve and he would give it to her. He longed for a few short days ago, when they had held hands and she had actually opened up to him. Now she had shut down. All Booth could do was wait, be patient and offer his support if only she would take it. He turned back to Lucy who had let a small sob escape and she burrowed deep into his arms. At least one Brennan would accept what he was offering and he focused his energy on the girl.

Still, the small comfort that Booth offered Lucy snapped Brennan back to reality. Seeing her partner hug her daughter, seeing how tenderly he held her as Lucy let tears fall, it allowed Brennan her own chance to grieve. She couldn't stop her own flow of tears and she turned away from the dispersing crowd and into her brother's arms. Russ was quick to wrap her up and offer his own comfort.

"I miss her, Russ."

"I know, Tempe. I know. I miss her, too." Russ rubbed soothing circles onto his sister's back. His eyes met Booth's briefly. They each turned back to their girl and offered their support. Soon enough, Brennan released Russ and Lucy pulled back from Booth. Booth kept an arm around Lucy, but extended his other one towards his partner.

"Come on, Bones. Let's all get some lunch." Brennan stepped towards Booth and let him hook his free arm around her. Booth led the Brennan women towards their vehicles as Russ followed behind, smirking slightly at the sight in front of him. In the two weeks that he had been in DC he had witnessed many of these moments between the partners. He hadn't had the courage to broach the subject of their relationship again, but he couldn't help noticing these moments.

The foursome made their way to a diner that the lab had recently discovered. It offered sunshine and a friendly waitstaff, and the Jeffersonian and Booth often found themselves stopping in for coffee in the morning or a quick lunch. The dinner was nearly empty at the odd time of day and they took the table in the corner that they usually gravitated to. Booth sat next to Brennan and Russ and Lucy shared the other side of the table.

The group ordered and three out of the four of them began conversing. They talked about the nice weather, a sure sign that summer was truly around the corner. Lucy still had a month of school, and she chatted about a few projects that were finishing up and her plans for summer camps and activities. Brennan had stared out of the window and observe small crowds that passed by. She didn't even turn back to the table when the waitress returned with plates of food. Booth nudged his partner.

"You OK there, Bones?"

Brennan broke from her reverie. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking."

Booth smirked, "You are always thinking."

Brennan clarified, "I was thinking about my mother." Booth raised an eyebrow and Brennan continued. "There are so many things that I would have liked to tell her, to show her."

Booth reached for her hand under the table and she grabbed it gratefully. "She knows, Bones. And she's proud of you. Of everything that you have done with your life, and Lucy."

Brennan tilted her head, ready to contradict everything that Booth said, but she decided against it. Instead, she squeezed his hand once. "Thank you, Booth." Then she released his hand and focused on her salad. Russ focused on his club sandwich a little too hard to convince Booth that he not just witnessed the entire exchange and Lucy's eyes were shining as she stole a fry off of Booth's plate and sipped at her chocolate milk.

Russ spent another day in DC, sightseeing with his family. He wasn't surprised when Booth met them for dinner, but he was a little shocked to meet Parker. Lucy and the boy started chatting together, and ran ahead of the crowd at the National Mall. The adults used the time to talk amongst themselves, mostly about the children in their lives. Russ spoke of Hayley and Emma as if they were his own and he beamed with pride as he told stories of their antics. Booth suggested that the siblings should reunite over the summer and the girls could all be introduced. Booth thought that Lucy would love having cousins to play with and Brennan had made tentative plans to make arrangements for the summer. Brennan's agreement to the plan had made both males smile even wider.

Russ turned to Booth, "You'd be welcome to come along too, Booth. Sounds like you deserve a vacation this summer. I'm sure Tempe wouldn't mind, would you, Tempe?" Russ playfully nudged his sister and Booth could have sworn that Brennan was blushing, and he could have teased her, but he didn't.

"Maybe, it'd be nice to get out of a DC summer for awhile. We'll have to see. Thanks for the invite though."

The evening ended pleasantly and Booth took Parker back to Rebecca's for the week. The next day Booth met the group to take Russ to the bus depot. Brennan had insisted that Booth didn't need to come, but when she had arrived with Lucy, Russ and his baggage, Booth had been standing there in a vintage t-shirt and jeans. The group stood around quietly until Russ' bus was announced. He turned to his niece first and shared a hug.

"Take care of yourself, kid." Lucy nodded her assent.

Russ turned to Booth next and offered his hand. Booth gave a firm shake.

"You'll keep an eye out on both of them?" Booth looked to his partner who was huffing in exasperation.

"You have my word, Russ."

Russ nodded and turned to his sister who looked a bit put out at the men in her life, but accepted the hug from her brother. "Tempe, I'll call you when I get home. And every Sunday. You'll pick up the phone, right?"

"Yes, I'll pick up the phone."

"Marco."

Brennan smiled and shoved her brother. "Polo, now go get on the bus. You don't want to miss it."

Russ laughed and picked up his bag.

"I'll talk to you soon, Tempe."

The group watched Russ walk away, and Booth's arm was soon wrapped behind his partner, finding his usual spot. Brennan leaned into him slightly. Booth couldn't help smiling and addressed his partner, "I'm going to miss the guy."

"I will as well."

Booth turned to Lucy. "All right, ice cream. My treat." He led the way out of the depot and into the cooling night.


	18. I Am A Pilgrim

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: I'm back on track. In a few weeks I'll be super busy, but I should be able to post regularly until then. Enjoy.

Chapter 17: I Am A Pilgrim

June 8, 2006 The Jeffersonian Institution

Brennan was distracted from her computer screen by a light knock on her office door. She rose from the desk to open it for her guest. Oddly, no one in the lab ever really knocked. She never thought about it much. Angela was always welcome, Zack wasn't aware of the poor manners of just barging in, Jack was usually too excited by his newest bit of data to realize that he had even entered the room unannounced, and Booth usually just smiled his charm smile and all was forgiven. Glass walls don't offer much in the way of privacy, anyway. And so the knock startled her. Booth would have called it her gut, but she had no logical explanation for the sudden attack of nerves that the subtle noise had made.

She opened the door with caution. A man only an inch or so taller than her with sandy blond hair that was graying at the temples was standing there looking even more nervous than she felt. He was wearing a tan trench coat and holding a rather thick envelope.

"May I help you?"

"Dr. Temperance Brennan? Are you, I mean, I'm sorry. I'm..."

"You're Robbie." He blushed slightly.

"Rob, please. Only my mother calls me Robbie, and my wife when she's trying to get a rise out of me. I'm sorry, I didn't think that you would know who I am. We've never been formally introduced. I'm really sorry to be disturbing you during work. I understand your time is very valuable, Dr. Brennan."

"Please, call me Temperance. Come into my office, Rob."

Brennan walked to her desk chair and sank into it, as she gestured to a chair that he sat in.

"You greatly resemble Thomas. He had darker hair, of course, but the resemblance is there all the same. Also, he showed me a picture of his family once or twice. You have aged remarkably well."

The man blushed again and spoke. "God, I didn't think that this would be so hard. I'm a litigator, and very successful, might I add. But, ever since I found out about Lucy, I've felt like I did right before my first trial, only more nauseous."

Brennan's face paled. "I'm sorry. Is there something you needed?"

"Two months ago, my mother had a routine surgery, threw her for a loop. My father passed away two years ago, from complications to a bypass."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, it was a difficult time for the family and it may have turned out differently if he had been willing to give up the cigars and the bacon." He smiled weakly and then apologized again. "I don't mean to be so cavalier about it, but he had a decent run and I've found looking back on the good things helps keep the hard things manageable. Anyway, after my father's complications, my mother was certain that she wasn't going to survive her surgery, she begged me to come home and be with her."

"Did the surgery proceed as expected?"

"Mother is back to her old ways, thank you for your concern, but while she was laying on what she believed was her deathbed, she told me about you. About the granddaughter that she banished. She felt so guilty. It was probably worse since her book club picked your book to read. She recognized your name, and all of her friends raved about you and the book, and how exciting it would be to meet you. And she had to sit there like a stone and pretend that she had no connection whatsoever to you. She showed me the book, told me about you. I recognized you from the funeral. You sat in the back, and you weren't crying, but you looked so sad. I'm sorry, I'm upsetting you, aren't I? I bring up uncomfortable things all the time, you'd think that I'd be better than this."

She smiled at the man. "I know what you mean."

He continued, "She made me promise that if something happened to her that I should find you and apologize. I promised her, she is my mother after all. She told me about a shoebox in her closet. While she was recovering I went and looked for it. It had all of your cards with the pictures. They were all opened, they looked worn, too. I just wanted you to know that in her own way, she tried and she cared. Lucy is a beautiful girl."

Brennan wiped her eyes and Rob was polite enough to not comment. "Anyway, after the surgery, she was back to her old self. She told me to forget everything that I had said, and not to tell Eva, or my wife, Catalina. Told me to go back home and never mention it again. As you can see, I'm not very good at following rules. My wife knows, but I haven't told Eva yet, I was waiting on you. I know that I have no right to ask this, but I'd like to meet Lucy. I'd like to her to meet my family. I have three boys, Tommy is eight, Cole is five, Brady is two and Catalina and I are expecting a fourth. She's hoping for a girl this time, but I'm pretty sure that Alexander will be joining us in five months. Eva lives in Paris with her partner, Sophie. They have twin seven year olds, Jean-Paul and Andre. Eva and the family will be here for a few weeks later this summer and I am going to invite my mother, we could throw a party."

Brennan's face paled again.

"Yeah, maybe a tad overwhelming. We can start small. I actually live in Maryland, right around the corner, practically. Maybe you and Lucy could meet me and the boys at a restaurant or something. We have a boat, any nice day we could take her out, have a nice time out on the water. I swear, we don't bite. Well, Brady does, but he doesn't usually break the skin."

He smiled and Brennan returned it, "Yes, Lucy went through a gnawing phase as well. It should pass soon, its actually quite a common habit in children."

He suddenly became aware of the envelope that he was holding, "This is some family medical history, I figured that you may want them for Lucy's sake. We owe you at least that much, consider it a peace offering. It's nothing too serious, mostly heart problems, some diabetes. It must be hard to have to leave those forms blank when it's your own child."

Brennan took the files and nodded numbly. She'd always left the majority of family history blank, not remembering her parents medical complaints or knowing anything about Lucy's paternal side.

"Look, no pressure. If I walk out of here and never hear from you again, I understand. We abandoned you when you needed someone. You were young and alone, we should have helped you even if you were a stranger. And you weren't a stranger, you were... you should have been... I'm not saying this how I want to. Tom cared about you, you were family to him."

Brennan could no longer hold eye contact with her daughter's uncle. She shifted in her chair so that she was partially hidden by the computer monitor. She practically whispered, "I'm sorry. It's all my fault that he died."

"How is this your fault?"

"I knew that I was pregnant before he died. I never told him. I always thought that if I had gotten in contact with him that he might have come home, that he wouldn't have died in Brazil."

Rob stood from his chair and walked around the desk, placing a gentle palm on her shoulder.

"Even if I had known about Lucy at the time, I wouldn't have blamed you. He was reckless down there. He was 24 and he thought he was invincible. They have these leather coverings to wear over your pants to protect from bites, he refused to wear them. He made his own mistakes, and the consequences were severe and unexpected and ultimately unfair. Please don't blame yourself, we all do in one way or another. I'm his big brother, I should have told him to get his head out of his ass and grow up. My dad blamed himself for subsidizing the trip, without dad's check they wouldn't have taken him as a grad-student. My mother regrets yelling at him when he blew off Thanksgiving, thought that it was her fault that he didn't come home for Christmas. We all feel guilty. Oh God, I'm making this worse." He removed his palm from her shoulder and started pacing the room.

"I don't know if this helps at all, but, I know that he cared about you. He told me why he wasn't coming home for Thanksgiving, that he wanted to be with you, because he didn't think that you had anywhere else to go. I told him to bring you home, but he knew that you would have said no. He never told me why you were so reluctant, but he knew you, wanted you to be happy. He talked about you all the time, to me and Eva anyway. He would have loved his daughter, treated both of you right, I know that."

"Yes, he would have done that. He was a very decent man, and I am lucky that he is the father of my daughter. She is very intelligent and kind, and outgoing, all traits that she inherited from her father."

"No, she definitely got her brains from you. I did my research before coming over. And seeing this place, wow, you've done well for yourself. Tom would have been very proud." Rob glanced at his watch.

"Listen, I should get going. I put in my address and phone number in the envelope. You and Lucy would be welcome any time, just show on up whenever, but no pressure. Honest." He walked towards the door before turning around once.

"Are you happy? Tom would have wanted you to be happy."

Brennan could only nod, and satisfied, Rob exited the office.


	19. Best Friend

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Another post as scheduled. Whoo! I think you guys are really going to like the next couple chapters, and let's thank Angela for being the best female friend possible. Once again, thank you for all of your reviews/favorites/alerts. Please feel free to drop me a line and tell me what you think. I always look forward to it.

Chapter 18: Best Friend

June 8, 2006 The Jeffersonian Institution

Brennan had just sunk deeper into her chair when Angela barged in.

"Sweetie, who was that guy? Pretty yummy, but I saw the ring, and he's no Booth when it comes down to it."

Brennan just closed her eyes and thumped her head against the back of her chair. "Angela, am I happy?"

"Excuse me?"

"I have a wonderful daughter, a fulfilling career. I am a best selling author and am world renowned for my rare skills. Those things should all factor in, shouldn't they?"

Angela gaped at her best friend. "Bren, connect tab A to slot B."

"I have no idea what that means."

"Sweetie, come on. What did that guy say to you? Do I need to got Booth to go medieval on his ass? I can round up Hodgins and Zack, too. And you know me, I can spit with deadly accuracy."

"No, it's fine Angela. That was Robert Andrews."

"Andrews... as in..."

"Lucy's uncle. Yes. His mother told him about his niece two months ago. He wants to meet her."

"Are you going to do it?"

"I don't know. I'm not going to bring someone into Lucy's life that could just walk out again. I'm not going to let her get hurt by a family that betrays her."

Angela's expression was filled with pity as she looked at her best friend. "Oh, Sweetie, you really really need to take a deep breath and fill me in here. I know about your past, about your parents, about Russ. I know that you don't want to subject Lucy to that same rejection, but what on earth does that have to do with you being happy?"

"It was just something that he said to me as he was leaving. He asked me if I was happy, that Thomas would have wanted it. And to be honest, I've never thought about it." Angela just stared at her friend and Brennan continued. "I know that my social skills are rudimentary and you constantly tell me that I have no life, but with all of my accomplishments, shouldn't I be happy? Do I appear happy to you?"

Angela sat silently for another moment and then jumped to her feet. "Give me one minute, I'll be right back and do not move a muscle."

Brennan wrinkled her nose. "If that were to happen, I would be unconscious by the time you returned as I would have stopped breathing."

"Fine, fine. Breathe, but please remain in this room." Angela scurried away and Brennan heard her shriek for Hodgins.

Angela returned a short time later with a glass flask filled with a clear liquid and two small beakers. She set them on the desk and poured two shots of Hodgins' moonshine, slamming one back and pouring another before handing Brennan her own glass.

"Glug-glug-woo-hoo?" Brennan asked as she raised the glass to her own lips and sipped tentatively.

"Exactly." Angela finished her second shot and poured a large third glass, which she now drank at a slower pace. "OK, I'll give it to you straight. I think you are happy, you just won't let yourself show it. You guard yourself so closely, you don't let anyone see you be happy. And you should. You have this amazing career and an even more amazing daughter, and one pretty incredible best friend."

"Ange, I'm sorry if I don't say it enough. I appreciate everything that you have ever done, everything that you do for me and Lucy."

"Hun, I know. I was being silly." They continued sampling their liquor for a few moments as Brennan pondered Angela's opinion. Angela cleared her throat, "I know the one thing that you are missing, the one thing that would make you completely happy."

Brennan may not be the most perceptive person, but she knew exactly where Angela was headed. "Angela, please, don't."

"You need a man. And you have that gorgeous piece of FBeye-candy just waiting for you."

Brennan rolled her eyes, "We work together. The Bureau would separate us if we were to enter into a romantic relationship."

"That's just a line, I know it, you know it, and Booth knows it. You would find some loophole, some way to make it work."

"Ange, it's not going to happen. We have an excellent working relationship. It's enough, really." Brennan finished the drink in her glass and poured another.

Angela shook her head at the scientist. "You are lying, you are horrible at it. I can always tell when you do it. You like him, he likes you." Angela had begun to sing-song in a teasing tone. Trying to change the subject, Brennan retorted in her own sing-song tone.

"You like Hodgins, he likes you. And you aren't dating."

"That is totally different."

"How? You work together, just like Booth and I. You find each other physically attractive, just like..." Brennan's voice faded away and Angela raised a mischievous brow.

"So you admit it?" Angela looked positively giddy as she moved on to her fourth drink.

"I've always admitted that he was physically attractive."

"But you are now admitting that Booth finds you attractive."

Brennan looked slightly offended, "Well I am beautiful and quite intelligent."

Angela raised her glass and teased, "And modest." She sobered up, slightly. "What if I made you a deal? I ask Hodgins out on a date, and you ask Booth out on a date. We could take the plunge together."

Brennan shook her head, "It's too big a risk. I can't. He's not just a part of my life. He is part of the entire lab, and more importantly he is a part of Lucy's life. I have to think about her, put her first, always."

"Don't you trust Booth?"

Brennan sighed and turned towards the glass wall of her office, staring off into space. Her voice was quiet as she answered, "With my life, Angela."

Angela nodded, "Then trust him with your heart. And don't you dare start telling me about how a heart is only for pumping blood. He won't hurt you, he won't hurt Lucy. He's too good of a man for that. Give him a chance."

Brennan continued to look out of the window. "I will consider your advice."

Angela sighed, knowing that was as good as she was going to get. "And for the record, I think that you should ask Lucy if she wants to meet her dad's family. She is mature and I think that she can handle making the decision. She can decide if she wants to meet her uncle. Trust me, whatever you do, you don't want to hide this from her."

"Thanks, Angela. I will consider that as well."

"And I'm just going to leave you with one last thought. You should know that you are happy. You shouldn't have to think about it, analyze it. And you should actually just be happy. Bren, you are my best friend, the best friend that I have ever had. You deserve so much happiness, that it makes everyone else sick. And I honestly think that Booth could help with that. Please, just think about it, but not too much. I know you, you can think yourself out of anything." Angela finished her drink and grabbing the containers made her way out of the office, wobbling slightly.

She deposited Hodgins' moonshine in front of the bug man as he was leaning over a microscope. She poked him in the shoulder and he jumped a bit. "Hodgins, can you give me a lift home? I should not be driving. Jesus, what proof is that rotgut you make? I swear it's making me blind."

Hodgins looked up at the artist with a smirk on his face. "Sure, Angie. Want to grab some food? Something light, with a large side of bread to soak up all of that alcohol you just consumed?"

"That sounds nice. You are a very nice man. Has anyone ever told you that?" Hodgins just rose from his chair and led Angela to her office and helped her into her coat. Two minutes later they were strolling arm in arm out of the office and Brennan watched them go.

Brennan sat back in her chair, feeling a slight buzz from Hodgins' experimental liquor. She thought back over the previous month. Booth had been there, been so close. They had shared lunches, had dinners with Lucy, even gone on a picnic with Parker. Ever since her mother's case, she had felt a shift between them. She remembered the day in McVicar's barn when he had kissed her and called her Baby. Even as she wrinkled her nose in distaste over the moniker, her hand reached up to brush her fingers against her lips. Sometimes, when she least expected it, she could feel the ghost of his kiss. She had never felt that way before about any of the men that she had dated, and she didn't like feeling that way now. It was much too confusing. Throw in Robert's visit and the alcohol coursing through her system and her rationality was severely compromised.

Trying not to think too much she pulled out her cell phone and pressed a single button.

"Booth."

"It's me. Do you have any plans for tomorrow night?"


	20. Brown Eyed Handsome Man

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: OK, here it is. I'm a little nervous about this one. Big things are happening. So let me know what you think! Enjoy.

Chapter 19: Brown-Eyed Handsome Man

June 9, 2006

Booth knocked on his partner's door at exactly 7:00 in the evening. Lucy opened it and excitedly told him that Brennan was allowing her to stay home alone. She also mentioned several times that she was happy that the two of them were going out for dinner. Brennan emerged from her bedroom fastening an earring. Booth looked at her in admiration. She was wearing a simple dress in a burgundy color that she rarely wore, but he decided that she should wear it more often. She looked at him anxiously and trying to ease his own apprehension, he clapped his hands telling her that they would be late if they didn't head out.

He tried to remain cocky and keep his teasing tone, trying not to betray the nervousness that he felt when he caught a whiff of her perfume and saw the back side of her dress. Lucy smirked in his direction, but kept her silence. Booth's anxiety was mirrored in Brennan as she toyed with the multi-colored wrap that complemented the dress. They could deny it all they wanted, but tonight was a date. An actual date. Brennan inwardly cursed herself, she was a fool. How had she let Angela talk her into this? Why had she let alcohol and emotion influence her?

Brennan back-pedaled and began to make up excuses as to why she shouldn't leave home. They would be gone late, no one had read to Lucy, there were three dishes sitting in the sink. Lucy watched in amusement as the two adults in front of her acted like teenagers. Finally fed up, Lucy took charge and pushed her mother out into the hallway. Booth followed right behind her, nudged by Lucy and the girl quickly shut the door.

Booth chuckled as the door hit his backside on the way out. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say your daughter was trying to get rid of us. Is she having a kegger?"

"A what?"

Booth placed his hand firmly on his partner's back and led her toward the elevator. "Nevermind, Bones. Let's grab some grub."

"I wasn't aware that there was any restaurant in the area that served insects. They are a rich protein source and the fried spider in Cambodia while not strictly tasty was a rather interesting experience."

Booth made a face, "OK, I've officially lost my appetite. Maybe I'll be hungry again after I can erase the image you you eating spiders."

Brennan had apparently missed some colloquialism, again, but she let it go. She pressed the down button and waited for the elevator. When the doors opened Booth stepped on but Brennan paused.

"Maybe I should call Angela to watch Lucy, or we could just order something in. I haven't left Lucy alone at night before. Its one thing for her to have a few hours after school by herself, but..."

"Bones, it's hard to let your kid grow up. She's very mature, and you trust her. We can call her every half hour, see if she doing all right."

"Would every fifteen minutes be calling too much?"

"How about every twenty?"

Brennan nodded. "That sounds acceptable."

They made their way to the restaurant and ordered food. The evening started pleasantly enough and Booth was impressed with how far they'd come in their small talk capabilities. He only choked once into a napkin and shush her twice for talking about inappropriate things a little too loudly. It was definite progress. Booth and Brennan took turns calling Lucy every twenty minutes, exhausting the girl until she claimed that she was just going to read in her room and go to sleep and to please not disturb her anymore that night. After that call Brennan became quieter, and as the two finished up dessert, Booth asked her what was wrong.

"It's two things actually." And she had taken a long drink of water and gone back to her dessert.

Booth set his fork down and stared at his partner. "Care to elaborate?"

"I had a visitor yesterday." Brennan returned to her drinking and eating and ignored the topic.

Booth prodded. "Going to need more to go on than that."

"It was Lucy's uncle."

"Russ is in town? You didn't tell me that. I thought that things were going well with you and your brother. That he wanted you two to spend some time with him and his girlfriend this summer."

"No, Booth, not Russ. Rob Andrews. Thomas' brother."

Booth stared down at his own plate. "Oh."

"He wants to meet Lucy."

Booth sighed and looked his partner in the eye. "Why now, after all of this time?"

"His mother never told him about Lucy until a few months ago. And now that he knows about her, he wants Lucy to meet his family, they live in Maryland. He has three sons. There are also two cousins who live in France, twins. Thomas has a sister, Eva."

"Are you going to meet them, to let Lucy meet her cousins?"

"I don't know. Should I? If they aren't serious about a relationship with her, I don't want her to get hurt. I don't want them to leave her behind."

Booth's arm snaked out and touched her hand. She hadn't realized that tears had sprung to her eyes until she attempted to look at him, to assure him that she was fine and noticed that his image was blurry.

"Why don't you let her make the decision? Sit her down and say that she has family that wants to meet her. Don't force her to if she isn't interested, but don't keep her in the dark. Now that you know that your father is alive, don't you wish that you could see him, talk to him, ask questions and get answers from him?"

"He abandoned me, Booth. He and my mother left me with Russ, and then I was alone."

Booth squeezed her hand across the table. "I know it's hard, but you can trust her to make the right decision for her."

Brennan sighed, and she did not remove her hand. "Yes, I suppose so. It was the same advice Angela gave me."

"Well, she is smarter than me, so I'm glad that I got it right." She wanted to protest that Booth and Angela were both very intelligent in the ways of the human heart, but she caught on that he was joking and she laughed a little bit.

The check arrived and Booth was able to pay for it without argument, for once. They weren't quite ready for the evening to end, but weren't sure how to prolong their dinner any more. The duo walked toward Booth's car and when Brennan shivered as a slight breeze passed by them as she was carrying her wrap rather than wearing it. Without comment, Booth placed his own jacket over her shoulders, brushing her hair past the collar. She felt warm wrapped in the pleasant smelling leather and kept the jacket on, even as he held open the door for her and helped her into the SUV.

Booth pulled up to the side of her building, and looked for a parking spot. He wanted to walk her back to her apartment as they were still technically on a date. He was still debating when she peeled his jacket off of her shoulders and handed it back to him. Opening her door and letting herself out of the car, she had almost shut it, when he found his voice again.

"Hey, Bones. You said that you had two things on your mind. We only talked about one."

Brennan shrugged, but paused in her closing of the door. "It's not a big issue, we can talk about it another day."

Booth was having none of it. "Boo-oones, spill. What else is on your mind?" Reluctantly, Brennan climbed back into his SUV and he went and parked it, not wanting to hold up traffic. It wasn't until he had killed the engine that she spoke again.

"Rob asked me if I was happy. That Thomas would have wanted me to be happy."

"Of course he would want you to be happy."

"Yes, he was a good man."

Booth gulped, not knowing what her answer would be, fearing the worst. "And are you happy, Bones?"

Brennan took a few moments to think before responding. "I think so. I have a very fulfilling career and an accomplished daughter."

Booth poked her lightly ,"Don't forget you are rich and famous, too."

She gave him a withering stare. "Is that supposed to make me happier, having money?"

"No, but some people think it makes a difference."

Brennan quickly changed the subject. "Are you happy, Booth?"

Booth smiled softly at her. He couldn't stop his hand from reaching over and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear and he let his hand linger along her cheek and she did not pull away. "Yeah, I mean think about it. We've got great jobs and great kids. I have a great partner and good friends. What else do I need?" Brennan pursed her lips and thought for a moment. Did she dare to bring up the one topic that had been on her mind for over a day, for almost a year when she was completely honest with herself? She noticed Booth staring at her, waiting for her response and she took a deep breath before speaking.

"Angela thinks that I would be happier if..." Her voice trailed off.

His voice was barely a whisper and she shivered as his fingers continued to caress her cheek. "If what, Bones?" His stare became more intense and he leaned slightly towards her. Brennan's heart rate increased and she licked her bottom lip. Booth was going to kiss her. Was she actually ready for this? She didn't have time to think about it, because suddenly his lips were on hers. She sighed a bit into his mouth and continued to kiss him. They remained lip-locked until a car horn sounded somewhere in the distance.

Brennan pulled back and unlatched the SUV door. She answered the question that Booth forgot that he had asked. "It's nothing. Nevermind. I should really go inside. It's late." Her eyes fell, and she stared at her lap even as she opened the door a bit wider.

Booth pulled his own gaze away from his partner. He had also pulled his hand back and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, right. Umm, have a good night. I had a nice time, we should do it again."

Brennan wanted to ask him if he meant the dinner or the kissing, but she simply nodded and started to get out of the SUV. She surprised both her partner and herself when she once again paused before closing the door. Her voice was quiet as she called his name. "Booth?"

He was still catching his breath and took a long moment before answering. "Yeah, Bones?"

Her words came out in a rush. "Would you like to come upstairs, and have a drink?" She wasn't sure what made her ask, but immediately Booth removed his keys from the ignition and pulled off his own seat-belt.

"OK, a drink sounds nice." She then met his gaze and smiled the smile that always set his heart racing. Exiting his car, he took a calming breath, unsure what to expect.

The made their way into her apartment building. She playfully shoved his shoulder and he found her leaning against him as they walked down the entryway to the elevator. As the doors closed, he mumbled something.

"What did you say, Booth? I didn't catch it?"

"I just said that I'm glad your happy."

"I'm glad that you are happy, too." She pressed the button for her floor and they rode in silence. They also walked down the hallway quietly, but somehow their hands had found one other and had interlaced their fingers. Booth only let go of her warm hand when they reached her door. She quietly let them into her apartment. "I'm just going to check on Lucy." He nodded. The girl was fast asleep and Brennan gently closed the door. Booth was waiting for her in the living room, standing awkwardly, he acknowledged her and she quickly turned away from the intense expression on his face.

Booth watched as Brennan next went to the front door, double checking that it was locked. A thousand thoughts had run through his head in the brief moment that she had been out of the room. It was time to make a stand, clearly there was something else behind her invitation. Deciding to not think any more, he made his way towards the scientist. She had lingered for a moment, fiddling with the lock before turning to her partner. As soon as she turned around, Booth once again pressed his lips to hers, this time wrapping her in a tight embrace. Her eyes widened in surprise and he was the one who pulled back this time.

Booth's arms loosened their grip but did not let go. He had given into temptation, and he was already repenting. He stammered a response. "Sorry, I thought... Well, I hoped... Just, well you didn't slap me down in the car. And... umm... usually drinks upstairs is code for," he blushed, "you know."

"Sex?" The tone of her voice told him that she was not opposed to the idea.

He gulped, "I prefer the term making love. But, as usual, you are correct."

"It's true. I usually am right." There was a playful tone to her voice that gave him some hope.

Booth tightened his hold slightly. Her eyes met his, and she smiled. Did he dare to take this next step? He did. "So are we going with this code thing, or should I help myself to a beer?"

She gave him a full smile as she pulled him closer, grabbing the fabric of his shirt. "I have a new Moroccan beer that I have been wanting to try. There is a six-pack in the fridge. However, I find that I am much more interested in your original proposition."

"Good answer, Bones." And he closed the distance between them again. Their kiss was instantly passionate, hands were suddenly everywhere, and Booth thought that he had died and gone to heaven. Without realizing that he had moved, he found himself being shoved down onto the couch with a grinning Brennan collapsing on top of him, instantly seeking out his lips with her own. A short eternity later, Booth pulled back, gasping for air.

"Shall we take this to the bedroom?" Her eyes sparkled.

"That sounds acceptable." She rolled off of him and as soon as they were both standing, he picked her up as he made his way to her room. She squealed, "Booth, put me down. Stop that."

He grinned wickedly and only held her tighter. "Ssh, Bones. You've gotta be quiet. You'll wake up..." Instantly, he set her down and braced himself against a wall, breathing deeply. What had he been thinking? It had been a wonderful night, one of the best nights ever. He had been using his gut and his heart all night, well all of his life really. And now, of all times, his brain decided to make an appearance. "I'm sorry, Bones. We should have just had a beer and then you should have sent me home. I can't do this with your daughter in the other room."

Brennan was confused. "She's sleeping, Booth. It's all right."

He rubbed his temples. "No, you aren't some cheap thrill, some roll in the hay. This thing between us, it's more than that. We take that step, it isn't just about us anymore, its about Lucy and Parker, and...Oh God, it's even about work. What will the bureau say, the lab? There are a lot of things to consider here. Tonight was great, but we need to slow down. You deserve more than this. We deserve more than this."

Brennan sighed as she stepped away from him. "I suppose that our biological urges were clouding our ability to make rational decisions. I was being irrational. It won't happen again."

Booth rolled his eyes, "Right, exactly. Look, I'm gonna go. I'll talk to you soon. Say 'Hi' to Lucy for me in the morning." He tried to make his way out of the apartment, but she caught his arm.

"I know that this isn't rational, but what if I don't want you to go?" She looked so vulnerable. If he was thinking with his brain, then right now she must be using her heart. He sighed, the timing wasn't right, not quite yet.

"I'm not going to change my mind, Bones. We can't sleep together, not tonight."

"No, I'm not asking you to sleep with me. It's late. Stay the night. You can drive home in the morning." He considered the proposition. He may have wanted to slow things down, it didn't mean that he wanted to leave.

"Sure, I'll take the couch. Got a pillow and a blanket?"

"That couch is not good for your back. I meant that I wanted you to stay with me, in my room tonight."

Booth gulped, this was too much, too soon. And then she said the perfect thing, "Please." He nodded and followed her into the bedroom.

Ten minutes later they were laying next to each other in the bed. Each facing the ceiling and not touching. After a few minutes of awkward silence, Brennan fidgeted under the sheets.

"Something wrong, Bones?"

"No, I don't think so." They were silent again, each feeling awkward, neither had meant for the evening to end this way. Booth was just about to get redressed and run for his own bed when she moved again, turning to her side and creeping towards him until she was touching his warm body. He extended his arm over her pillow and she snuggled into his side, resting her head on his shoulder and draping an arm across his torso.

"Feeling better?" He tilted his head towards her, breathing in the scent of her hair.

"Yes." She tilted her face up towards his, their lips a mere inch apart.

He closed the gap with a single peck and then rested his head back against the pillow.

"Sleep tight, Bones."

Brennan yawned, "Did you know that the phrase 'sleep tight' originated when..."

"Tomorrow, tell me tomorrow."

"Sweet dreams, Booth." It was such an un-Brennan thing to say, and they both knew it. He could feel her cheek grow warmer against his chest as she blushed as he felt his own warmth spread throughout his body. He held her a little bit tighter, and pressed a kiss onto the crown of her head and did indeed fall asleep to the sweetest of dreams. Dreams that for the first time he actually thought had a chance of becoming reality.


	21. Beans For Breakfast

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Well it's posting time again. Thanks for all of the great feedback on the previous chapter, and I hope that you enjoy this one just as much. Thanks again for all reviews/alerts/favorites. They mean so much to me, even when I don't get a chance to respond to everybody.

Chapter 20: Beans For Breakfast

June 10, 2006

Booth woke first in the morning, as rising early was a habit that he just couldn't break. He decided that he needed a drink of water and disentangling himself from Brennan's body, rather reluctantly, he made his way towards the kitchen. He had just entered the living room when something made him halt in his tracks. Lucy was standing in the center of the room, staring at him, her arms crossed, with one raised eyebrow and a huge grin on her face. Booth flushed red.

Booth muttered under his breath. "Oh God, that is an Angela expression." When Lucy's eyebrow raised further, he spoke up. "I'm in so much trouble. Please tell me that I am dreaming, or dead." He sank into the couch before realizing that he was wearing only a t-shirt and boxers. Lucy seemed to read his mind and handed him a blanket from the back of a chair. Sheepishly, he accepted it and covered himself as best he could.

Lucy stood in front of him. "Are you sleeping with my mother?"

"Uh." Booth was speechless.

Lucy huffed, "Did you have sex with my Mom?"

"Lucy, stop. You shouldn't even know that word." He paused, " How do you even know that word?"

"I'm almost eleven, and my mother is Temperance Brennan."

"Oh, right."

"Did you use protection?"

"Lucy!"

"Well?"

"No."

"No? You didn't use protection?"

"No, we did not sleep together. We just shared a bed. She told me that the couch would be murder on my back and we just fell asleep, nothing else."

"Why not?" Lucy looked so disappointed as she sank into the couch next to Booth that he almost felt pity. _Almost_. He quickly stood, keeping the blanket covering his body.

"All right, end of conversation. I should go home."

Booth was almost back to the safety of the hallway, when he heard a small voice. "Don't go. I can make you breakfast." Lucy's voice regained its usual confident tone. "I'm allowed to use the stove without supervision now, you know. How do you feel about pancakes?"

Booth pretended to consider the offer. He knew he was going to stay. How could he possible leave? "What are the chances of a side of bacon?"

"We have the soy version."

Booth grimaced. "No dog treats for me, thank you very much. Pancakes sound great. But let me help."

"Fine. But first, go put on some pants, Agent Booth. I have an impressionable young mind, you know."

Booth rolled the blanket into a lump and tossed it at the girl. "Yeah, yeah, Squirt."

Booth went back into Brennan's bedroom, feeling awkward and sheepish. He was surprised that Brennan still seemed so deeply asleep. The sun was shining through the blinds and he quietly closed them. He made his way to the bed, sitting on its edge and brushed hair off of her forehead. His finger traced the tiniest scar that he knew was there although it was invisible in the dimmer light, the only physical reminder of her time with Kenton.

"Oh, Bones." He breathed out her name. The feelings that he felt for her were so strong: excitement, hopefulness, exhilaration, and fear. He quickly dressed, pressing a kiss to the scar and covering her more securely with the comforter. He smiled as she turned to her side and grabbed the pillow that he had slept on, using it as support. Her expression as she unconsciously breathed in his lingering scent shocked him. It hit him like a ton of bricks. He knew that he cared about Brennan and Lucy, he had since that first night when he brought over a case file and some pie, but now he knew that it was so much more. He was positive that this woman was _the_ woman, the only woman he would ever need or want for the rest of his life.

He would have continued staring at Brennan, but the clattering in the kitchen brought him back to reality. By the time he made it back to the kitchen, Lucy had already pulled out a griddle and was mixing ingredients. A spot of flour was on her nose and he brushed it off as she pushed him away.

"Test the griddle, FBI guy. And then, there are some berries and things in the fridge if you want to wash them, make a fruit salad or something."

"I don't get to flip the pancakes?" He pouted and made puppy-dog eyes at her.

"Nope, my kitchen, my rules."

"OK, Miss Bossy." He ruffled her hair and made his way to the fridge. They settled into a rhythm and Booth was impressed with Lucy's pancake making abilities.

"Booth?"

"Yeah, Squirt?"

"Don't let her push you away."

"Excuse me?"

"I know my Mom. She's going to get scared. She's going to try and run away. Don't let her, please."

"She doesn't make things easy, does she?" Lucy turned from her pancakes and focused on the agent.

"Just don't let her get hurt. And don't let her hurt you. I love her, but it's so hard for her to trust people, to open her heart. I want her to be happy."

"Who are you? Dr. Phil?"

"Who is that?" He shook his head in disbelief and moved on.

"Lucy, I care about your mother. I would never hurt her."

"And you won't give up on her? Even when she is being 'very Brennan' like Aunt Angela says?"

Booth thought for a moment before responding. "Loving someone means accepting them the way that they are, loving them for exactly who they are, all attributes and flaws included."

Lucy looked floored, "You love Mom?"

Booth became flustered. "Lucy, your pancakes are burning." Her focus was turned from the agent and back to the stove. She looked upset as the rather dark brown pancakes were flipped. Booth tried to remedy the situation. "Don't worry. I like them best when they are crisp."

"We'll have plenty. I only burned two of them." Her response was hollow, and Booth grew more concerned. He had long finished his fruit salad preparations and noticed her swiping at her right eye with the back of her hand. He had to say something to comfort her, clearly he had said something wrong. And then he realized that it was what he left unsaid that was making her sad. He waited as she finished with the last round of batter, sniffling slightly. She had turned off the stove and only then he addressed her.

"Lucy, telling someone that you love them is a huge step. I care about your mom a lot, but I think that we are both a little bit afraid of taking that kind of step. We aren't ready yet. But I promise you that I will be very careful with her heart. I won't hurt her. And when I'm ready and when she is ready, you will be the first person to know. Is that OK?" She nodded after a moment. He put a hand on her shoulder. "And for the record, I do love you, Squirt."

"Really?" He just looked at her meaningfully and she understood. "I love you too, FBI guy. There's maple syrup and butter, get those while I wake up Mom." Lucy wiped her eyes one last time with her pajama sleeve and went to her mother's bedroom, Booth sighed heavily and grabbed the last few things necessary for breakfast. By the time he had finished getting breakfast ready, he had regained his confidence. Someday, this kind of breakfast would be an everyday thing, but for know he was going to just enjoy the moment.

Five minutes later the three of them sat at the table, quietly passing out food. Brennan had not expected any of this. Lucy should still be sleeping and Booth should be long gone, panicked and filled with regret. He shouldn't be sitting here so calm and self-assured. So cocky. Her partner and her daughter shouldn't have made breakfast and chatted as if this was going to be a frequent occurrence. The first feelings of fear began to creep into her mind, but Booth seemed to know what she was thinking. He placed a hand on her and simply said, "Eat now, Bones. Think later." She nodded and he removed his hand and focused on his own plate.

Booth slathered his pancakes with butter and drizzled the syrup on top. "Real maple syrup. Fancy. I always just buy the artificial stuff."

Lucy giggled, "Gross. You have to get the real thing. It's so much better." She cut off a piece of pancake and chewed thoughtfully. "Not bad."

Booth had swallowed his first bite, a large one consisting of three layers of fluffy pancake. "Pretty good, but something tastes different. What is in these?"

"Whole wheat flour, what else would we use?"

Booth groaned, "You ladies are going to kill me. My body isn't used to all this healthy stuff."

Lucy laughed, "Just wait until you try soy bacon!" She stuffed a large bite of pancake into her mouth as Booth made a face.

"Really, Booth," Brennan added, "It tastes almost like the real thing, and it is much healthier for you."

"Never gonna happen, Bones. Never."


	22. Waiting For A Long Time

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: I'm back. Sorry for the delay. I am finishing up student teaching and was out of town for the week. I had this chapter written, but I wasn't happy with it, and this is the first chance that I've had to edit it and get happy enough with it to post it. I'm sorry that I'm behind on review responses as well. They mean so much to me, and even when I don't get a chance to respond, please remember that they do make a difference, and I love to hear from you. I hope that this chapter satisfies after a long wait. Enjoy.

Chapter 21: Waiting For A Long Time

June 10, 2006

Booth and Lucy had cleaned up the breakfast dishes, despite Brennan's protest. She had instead used the time to take a relaxing shower and had emerged from her bathroom dressed casually. She was surprised to see that Booth was still in her apartment. More importantly, he was standing outside of the bathroom, waiting for her.

She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Where's Lucy?"

"In the living room, she was in the middle of a good chapter of something by an author that I can't pronounce."

Brennan nodded and continued to stare at Booth. "Was there something you needed? I assume by the way that you are pacing, that you had an issue that you wanted to address."

Booth's voice raised slightly. "Of course there is an issue that I want to discuss with you! We almost had S-E-X last night."

Brennan tilted her head at him. "There is no need to spell out the word, Booth. I clearly remember last night. We are both grown adults. And I don't see the need to discuss if further. We decided that we aren't going to sleep together, that are partnership takes precedence over our biological needs. That's fine."

"Bones, we need to talk about this, about us."

"I already stated that we are partners, I don't know what else there is to talk about."

"That's bull, Bones. Partners don't kiss at crime scenes, they don't make out in cars after going on a 'date' or on couches after said 'date.' They don't share a bed while one of them is wearing nothing but boxer shorts."

Brennan's lips pressed together. "What do you want me to say, Booth?"

Booth rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know."

"Then I don't think we have anything further to discuss." She attempted to slip past him. He grabbed her arm lightly and he pulled her towards him. She gasped a bit when the momentum of the spin pulled her to his chest and their lips ended up millimeters apart. A gap that Booth quickly closed. He kissed her with desperation, but let her go when she started to respond to him.

"That, right there, Bones. That is what we need to discuss. You feel something when I kiss you, when you kiss me. It means something."

Brennan stepped back from her partner, and he let her go. "I don't know what that something is."

Booth sighed, "That is what we need to figure out. I don't want to stop kissing you. But we can't just keep kissing when we feel like it. We can't just keep losing control like we have been. We have to deal with it."

Brennan stared at him, she could see his logic, but still she wasn't good at dealing with these strange emotions. "Yes, I agree, but I'm not good at relationships, Booth. And I have a daughter, that complicates things."

"You think I haven't considered Lucy, or Parker, in all of this? She knows how I feel about you, how you feel about me."

"That's impossible, I don't even know how I feel about you."

Booth stepped towards her. Yes, this beautiful woman had had her share of hardships, but he was a still a bit incredulous at how she could deny her feelings so completely. "She's ten and not oblivious. She's been playing matchmaker since we met. Bones, you kissed me our very first case. And since then we've spent how many meals together, how many outings with Parker and Lucy? How many late nights doing paperwork and falling asleep on your couch? Jesus, we even spent Christmas together. How much more evidence do you need?"

Brennan stammered, "I... I... I don't know. I feel very overwhelmed right now. I've found my mother and her killer, I've reunited with my brother, my father is still alive, Lucy's other family has expressed interest in forming a relationship with her, and now you are trying to tell me that you want to change our partnership. I don't do well with change, Booth, and this...this is a lot of change."

She looked at him and there were tears in her eyes. It was the most honest thing that she had ever shared with him. Instantly, his expression softened. He reached out and gave her a gentle hug. She tensed slightly, but she let him hold her for a few moments. Finally, she pulled away a bit.

"Booth, I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"I can't give you what you want. I'm not ready to change things."

Booth sighed, but he understood. He had once told himself that he could wait, and he was prepared to be patient again. This incredible woman and her daughter were worth it. He reached over and hugged his partner again, placing a gentle kiss along her hair line.

"It's OK, Bones. Take all of the time that you need."

Brennan nodded and whispered a quiet, "Thank you."

The two partners held hands as he led her out of her bedroom. He _would_ be patient, and now there were other important things to do. "Bones, do you want to talk to Lucy about her uncle? The longer you hold onto this, the harder it's going to be. And if you want me to be here with you, I can be."

Brennan stopped walking down the hallway and pulled Booth back a step. "Why are you so nice to me?"

"I should think that the answer is rather obvious." Brennan blushed a bit and for a moment she wished that she was different, that she could be completely irrational and just go for it. Kiss him, lead him back to her bedroom, and who knows what else. She shook the wayward thought out of her head as Booth tugged her back toward the living room. "Come on, partner."

Lucy was sitting up on the couch, a rather thick book in her hand. She had a rather hopeful smile on her face, seeing the two adults emerge from the bedroom, and the closeness that they shared as they walked down the hallway, hand in hand.

Brennan bit her lip nervously, "Lucy, I need to speak to you about something."

Lucy jumped up, her book falling to the floor. "Are you guys dating, now? That's so great. Does Angela know yet? Can I tell her? She's going to be so excited. I'll need earplugs."

Brennan looked helplessly at her partner, and he squeezed her hand once before letting it go and turning to Lucy. "Calm down, Squirt. Don't let your imagination get the better of you, there is something else that we need to talk to you about."

Lucy's face fell and she reached down to pick up the book and rest it on the coffee table. She then settled into the couch and stared at her mother. Brennan took a seat on the sofa next to the girl and Booth settled himself on the edge of a chair. Brennan looked back to her partner before speaking. "Lucy, I had a visitor the other day."

"Are you going away on a dig? You said that you weren't traveling anywhere until August. Are you going to be gone over my birthday? You are always home for my birthday."

"I'm not going anywhere, Lucy. The visitor was your Uncle Robert."

Lucy was silent, and once again Brennan turned to her partner. Booth spoke quietly. "He wants to meet you. He never knew about you until a few months ago, and now that he knows about you, he wants to meet you. But it's up to you."

Lucy continued to sit silently. She formed her words carefully before she began to talk. "Why does he want to meet me?"

Once again, Booth piped in. "Because he's your uncle. And he wants to get to know you. From what your mother tells me, he has some children. Wouldn't you like to meet some cousins?"

"I don't know, it's a lot to think about. What if they don't like me?"

Booth stood from the chair and came over to his partner and her daughter. He knelt in front of them and took one of their hands in each of his own.

"Squirt, they are going to love you, if you want to give them a chance. No one is going to force you to meet them."

Lucy smirked a bit, "But you think that I should."

"Only when you are ready. I think you'll like having cousins to boss around. Isn't that right, Bones?"

Brennan nodded hesitantly. She wasn't sure whether or not she really wanted to let these strangers into the carefully built life of her and her daughter. But she had let Russ back in, and somewhere on the Earth, her father was also floating around, and beside her was the first man that she had let into her life in many years. A man who held her in the night, and kissed her with such passion. Beside Brennan was a man who stood beside her, defended her, and protected her daughter. And here he was, still beside her despite the fact that she had told him that she wasn't ready for to change the working relationship that they had cultivated over the past year. She just couldn't make sense of any of these conflicted emotions.

Brennan was pulled from her musing by Lucy squeezing her hand. "Mom, can I think about it? I don't think that I'm ready to meet them yet."

Brennan nodded. "Yes, you can wait until you are ready."

Lucy smiled. "Thanks, Mom. I think I'm going to go read in my room. I need some time and space. Is that OK?"

"Yes, I'll call you for lunch later." Lucy nodded and picked up her book. She gave her mother a quick hug and Booth a soft kiss on the cheek. She padded over to her room and softly shut the door.

Brennan sighed and leaned back on the couch and was followed by Booth who placed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his chest. She leaned into his touch and echoed Lucy's kiss on his cheek. "Booth, thank you, for everything. For being so wonderful to my daughter, for being my partner, for being so patient with me, for not pushing us when we aren't ready."

Booth pulled her a little closer. "Anytime, Bones, anytime. You are both worth waiting for."


	23. Dinosaur Song

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: OK, it's time for another update. I just finished student teaching, so my updates should become a little more regular again. Thanks again for your patience and support. You guys are awesome. Enjoy.

Chapter 22: Dinosaur Song

June 20, 2006

Rebecca Stinson was not in a good mood. Parker had dragged mud all over the carpet, despite her constant reminders to remove his shoes when he came in from the backyard. Her secretary had just called to say that a client was seeking new representation. The sink was dripping and the constant ping of the water drops was torturing her.

The ringing of her home phone did nothing to brighten her spirits as she picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Excuse me, am I speaking to Ms. Rebecca Stinson?"

Rebecca sighed and rubbed her temples, just what she needed was a telemarketer asking for money. "Yes, this is she, but I'm not interested in donating to any cause or investing in anything at this time."

"No. I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. This is Lucy Brennan." Rebecca racked her brain for a moment before matching the voice and the name.

"Seeley's partner's daughter?"

"Yes, that's me!" She giggled a little bit. "No one I know calls him Seeley. That just sounds funny."

"Honey, I have some work to do. Is there a reason you called? I can get Parker for you. Did you want to talk to him? I know that you are his friend. He talks about you all of the time."

"I actually called to talk to you. My mother and I, we are going to visit my Uncle Russ in North Carolina for my birthday in a few weeks. My mother rented us a house on the Outer Banks for a week, and I was hoping that Parker and Booth could join us. It's going to be a lot of fun. Russ' girlfriend has two daughters, and we are all going to be there. My mom said that I could bring a friend, and I want Parker. And then I figured that Booth could come as my mom's friend. He has all of this vacation time that he never uses, and Aunt Angela thinks that it would be nice for him and my mom to get away."

"Umm, I have to think about this."

"Of course. I didn't say anything to Parker yet, I didn't want to get his hopes up. And I promise that anytime that he is in the water that he will be wearing a life jacket. Oh, and I will make sure that he wears sunscreen. And I know that he loves airplanes, and we are going to Kitty Hawk. You know, where the Wright brothers flew their first plane? It is going to be very educational. And we can go up in the lighthouses and learn about their history too. I won't let him go too close to the edges. And I promise, I won't tell him any ghost stories, just ones about pirates. There are all sorts of great stories from that area. I've already started my research. It's going to be a very exciting trip." Lucy finally took a breath and Rebecca took her chance to respond.

Rebecca put some false cheer into her voice and addressed the girl. "Well, thank you for the generous offer. I will consider it. I'll let you know."

"Great! Tell Parker that I said hello, and I'll see him this weekend. We are going to a new museum exhibit. It's going to be so cool. Thanks again, Ms. Stinson. I look forward to hearing from you. Let me give you my number."

"I have Caller ID."

"Oh, of course. Thank you for your time." Lucy hung up on her end and within five seconds, Rebecca had dialed her ex-boyfriend.

"Booth."

"That was a low blow, Seeley."

"What did I do now?"

"You had your girlfriend's daughter ask me if you could take my son on vacation."

Booth protested, "First, he is _our_ son. And second, what are you talking about?"

"Lucy Brennan just called me. Apparently Lucy and her family are going on vacation, and she gets to take a friend. She wants that friend to be Parker. And I should note, she mentioned that you were the friend that her mother was taking. Having a little girl ask me, it's despicable. How am I supposed to say no to a child?"

On his end of the phone, Booth rubbed at his eyes. What was it about the Brennans? No one else could put the foot in their mouth like they could. "She wasn't trying to back you into a corner. Lucy gets ahead of herself sometimes. She just gets excited. I'll ask Bones about it. See what's going on."

Rebecca scoffed in disbelief, "See what's going on? I want to know what the hell is going on with you, Seeley. This woman is stepping over the line, and you don't seem to have a problem with it."

"What do you mean? Lucy's just a kid."

"No, I mean her mother. Fancy vacations, and don't even get me started on Parker's last birthday."

Booth grunted, of course Rebecca was going to bring this up again. "Bones knew the curator, that behind the scenes tour wasn't anything for her. Parker likes dinosaurs, so she arranged for him to get to meet a paleontologist and see some cool stuff. She only did it because she felt bad for me that you wouldn't let me be a part of his school party. She wanted me to be able to do something special with him."

Rebecca had heard the rationalization before, she wasn't buying it. "And what about that game system? We decided that he wasn't responsible enough yet and that it was too expensive. And she just gives it to him?"

Once again, Booth was on defense. "I didn't tell her to get it for him. He must have mentioned it to Lucy. I know it was a big gift, but Bones, she's got plenty of money. She just doesn't think about stuff like that. It drives me crazy, too. But she means well, and you get used to it. She was just trying to do something nice for him. And she only got him the boring educational games."

"I think that our son spends too much time with them. I don't even know these people and Squirt and Dr. Bones are all I hear about. And you say that this Bones person..."

"Dr. Temperance Brennan..."

"Right, your _just_ partner. I don't believe you, Seeley. And I don't appreciate being lied to. And I don't need Parker's love being bought."

"Bones isn't like that. She cares about him. Look, she's my partner and and my friend. She and Lucy are a part of my life, and they are going to be a part of Parker's life. So deal with it."

"Make me."

On the other end of the line, Booth took a deep breath. "Rebecca, I think we both need to calm down. Can I call you tonight, and we can talk and not yell?"

"Fine. Good-bye, Seeley." Rebecca slammed her phone back on its charger. She was counting to ten to calm her nerves. She had only reached six when her son's voice spoke from beside her.

"Mommy, I heard yelling. Is everything all right?"

"Yes, baby. Don't worry. Go play."

Parker cuddled into his mother's side. "I'm really sorry about forgetting my sneakers. I didn't mean to make a mess. Can I help clean it up?"

Rebecca reached down and ruffled her son's hair. "It's OK. We'll clean it up later. Let's go get some dinner. We can go to the game place you like and you can play and we can even get a pizza there."

Parker's voice brightened. "Really? Thanks, Mommy. You are the bestest. I love you."

"I love you too, Parker."

* * *

Two hours later, Rebecca was strapping Parker back into his booster seat, ready to go home after chasing after the boy around the game room. As she made her way to the driver's seat she noticed a familiar SUV. She said nothing as she saw Booth exit the car along with who could only be his partner and her daughter. She couldn't hear their conversation, but it looked like Lucy was talking about the proposed vacation. The girl was hopping up and down, and using her hands in enthusiastic gestures. Both adults seemed relaxed, and whatever tension Booth may have felt from the earlier argument, he seemed to have let it slide in favor of having fun with the Brennans.

Rebecca sighed as she got back into her own car. The three of them looked happy together and she felt a slight tinge of jealousy. True, she had rejected Booth and moved on, but she still felt slightly queasy. In her opinion, he had just gotten himself a new family and for an unknown reason, it didn't sit well with her.

Parker's voice piped in from the back seat. "What did you say, Mommy?"

She had been thinking her thoughts aloud, apparently. "Nothing, baby. Let's go get ice cream." She smiled into the rear view mirror as she looked at her son and then started to drive away. Parker had won himself two plastic toys with the tickets that he had earned. He had picked out a green T-Rex for himself and a violently purple dolphin that he meant to give to Lucy when he saw her next. He knew that she would like it.

Parker was confused when he looked up from the new toys, looked out of the window, and noticed his Dad. And his dad wasn't alone. Booth was now guiding Lucy and a confused looking Brennan into the same place that Parker had just left. He saw his father place one hand at Brennan's back and the other held Lucy's tightly.

Parker's stomach felt weird as he watched them enter the building and close the door behind them. In his young mind, Lucy and Dr. Bones were fun people to hang out with, but like toys that he put away in his toy chest, they only existed when they were in front of him. He hadn't realized until that point in time, that his dad must spend lots of time with Dr. Bones and Lucy. Lucy and Brennan weren't the forgotten toys at the bottom of the chest, Parker was. His dad didn't need Parker anymore, he had two brand new toys to play with.

Parker closed his eyes and could imagine his Dad closing a lid over Parker's face, telling the boy that he would get to come out and play soon, as soon as Booth was bored with his new toys. Parker shook himself out of the imagining and threw the plastic dolphin on the floor beside him. He was glad when it bounced under his mother's seat and he couldn't see it anymore. Lucy had Parker's dad, she didn't deserve anything else.

* * *

Booth ordered a pizza for the little party as they discussed details of the proposed trip to North Carolina. He spared Lucy's feelings at Rebecca's indignation over the sincere invitation, and just mentioned that she was thinking about it. Brennan seemed a little bit appalled at the assumption that Booth would be joining the Brennans on the trip, but she had no valid argument for why he shouldn't join them. She would never openly admit that she wanted him there, even though that was the plain truth. But Booth didn't miss the sparkle in her eye at the prospect of days in the North Carolina sun, relaxing on the beach.

They shared a pleasant meal and Booth challenged them to a skeeball match. Booth was smug about his abilities, claiming that he was going to win as neither Brennan had ever played. Lucy did fall out of the running quickly, but Booth's muscle memory battled Brennan's physics knowledge for dominance. Lucy was torn as to who she was going to root for, neither of the adults liked to lose, and she always supported both of them. Brennan won the first game, forcing Booth to declare "best out of three" and once again the race was on. Booth edged her out for the win on the second game, and Booth was surprised to find a small crowd of people behind them, watching the tense competition. He fed a token into his machine without comment and waited for the final match-up.

A grey-haired woman who had brought her grandchildren for dinner and fun found herself caught up in the match. She was reminded of a boardwalk in her past, where her husband of thirty-eight years had first held her hand and won her a stuffed cat. She tapped Lucy on her shoulder and smiled at the girl. "Your parents sure are competitive."

Lucy grinned, "I know. I'm not sure who I want to win." She didn't bother with a correction. Since Booth had last spent the night, something had been different between the partners. They didn't speak of it, but Lucy could tell that they held gazes a little longer, touched with even more frequency, and spent more time on the phone than was strictly necessary for work associates. There was also the fact that Booth had been at every dinner for the past week and a half. She couldn't help it, she liked to think of them as a family. Nobody could stop her from dreaming.

The dream was interrupted by the flashing of lights and Brennan's grunt of disappointment. Booth's hands shot in the air at his victory. Brennan's arms crossed in a pout and Booth wanted nothing more than to kiss the childish expression off of her face. He leaned in, but was knocked off balance by a kid who was rushing to the now empty skeeball lane before he could claim his prize. He chuckled a bit and ripped the tickets off of the machine, handing them to a young girl who was looking wistfully at a toy at the counter.

Brennan looked on in approval as Lucy handed the girl her own tickets using Booth's generosity as an example. Brennan turned to her partner. "That was very kind of you, Booth."

Booth just shrugged as he placed an arm around Brennan's shoulder. "I've already got everything that I need."


	24. Father And Daughter

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Chapter 23: Father And Daughter (Father And Son)

June 24, 2006 The Brennan's Apartment

It had been an odd day, Booth had picked Parker up that morning and the boy was not his usual sunny self. Rebecca had voiced concern that he had been quiet all week. She had even taken him to his pediatrician, but he wasn't sick. She hoped that Booth would be able to cheer up their son, as much as it pained her to admit that her ex was maybe what her son needed.

Parker had been looking forward to the museum trip as of two weeks ago, but he was sullen on the trip. He didn't ask questions like he usually did and he was unusually clingy with Booth. He also ignored Brennan and Lucy when they tried to engage the boy, even when Booth told him that he was being rude.

Lucy had also remained a concern. She had a strange dream the night before. In it, the Booths and the Brennans were all living together in one house. It had seemed so normal and although the dream itself was mundane, it seemed perfect. She woke up just as Booth had come into the imagined room and twirled her around. He had called her "Baby Girl" and she had called him "Dad." She found herself banging her head against her pillow wishing that she could go back into her perfect dreamworld. It had certainly left her feeling off kilter.

Both adults had been confused as to why their usually outgoing children had suddenly clammed up. When they couldn't even work up enthusiasm for a trip to Sid's, Booth decided that it was time to cut their outing short. They ended up back at Brennan's apartment, the adults not quite ready to end their day together.

Back at the Brennans' apartment, Parker amused himself with a set of blocks that had once been a popular toy of Lucy's. He refused help from anyone and turned his back to his father and tried to make the tallest tower that he could, by himself. Lucy had settled herself on an armchair, where nobody could sit next to her and question her about her odd behavior. Booth and Brennan looked at each other, and then just sat on the couch quietly. Booth turned on ESPN, trying to drown out the awkward silence. Booth noticed Lucy wrinkling her nose at the tennis highlights being shown and tossed her the book that was sitting open on the coffee table.

Lucy caught it easily and opened to the page where she had last been reading. She smiled at Booth and blurted, "Thanks, Dad." Lucy immediately realized what she had said and looked at Booth and then her mother in horror. She clapped her hands over her mouth and blinked tears out of her eyes. Without saying another word, she dropped her book and ran out of the room, her bedroom door slamming shut a few seconds later.

Booth and Brennan looked at each other, unsure what to do. At the same time, they both said, "I'll go talk to her." They paused and looked at each other again.

"Bones, let me, please." Brennan nodded at Booth and he rose from the couch and went to Lucy's room.

Booth quickly reached Lucy's room and gently knocked on the door.

"Squirt, open up. It's me."

"Go away."

"Lucy, we need to talk."

"No, I'm embarrassed. I don't like anyone seeing me when I'm embarrassed."

"Congratulations, you're human. I'll alert the media." The door slowly opened and Lucy stared him down.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Everyone makes mistakes, says things that they didn't mean to say."

"Come on in." Lucy waved the man inside and closed the door behind her.

"I'm sorry that I called you that word."

"Lucy, you didn't swear at me. 'Dad' is a special word and you used it. I'm not mad. Shocked maybe, but not mad."

"I don't know what I was thinking."

"I do."

"Care to enlighten me?"

"I'm around all the time, I'm close with your mother. I care about you, we do fun things together. I didn't even realize that I was doing it, but I was being a father figure. I'm never going to replace your father, but I'm a pretty good substitute dad."

"You're the best. I just... You are... I..."

"It's OK, Luce. I know what you mean. This is complicated. I'm your mother's partner, and we work long and odd hours together. And we are all friends, so we spend time outside of work together. There are all sorts of lines drawn, but the edges are blurry. It's fine to be confused. I get confused too."

"You do?"

"Sure. I'll tell you a story. When I was in high school I was head over heels for Karen Hudson, totally into her, but she was dating my friend Donnie. She was totally off limits. So I went out with this girl, Sandra instead. One night Sandra and I are in the backseat of my car..."

"Am I old enough to be hearing this story?" He gave her a look which caused her to giggle and he continued his story.

"Anyway, I'm in the backseat of my car with Sandra and we are kissing, just kissing, and I call her Karen, twice."

"Oops."

"Oops, indeed. Yeah, that was the last time that I ever was in the backseat of my car with Sandra. And yeah, I felt bad about it, but that's life. We aren't perfect, we make mistakes, we get confused. But here is the thing, I don't get confused about the important stuff. I love you and I care for your mom, and that isn't going to change. And if you'll let me, I'd like to be able to keep being like a dad to you. I'm not perfect and I'm sure there is some guy out there who would do a much better job at it, but..."

"No buts. I don't want anyone else but you." Booth flushed pink and Lucy hugged him. "Thanks for being here for me and my Mom, and for being cool. I love you."

"I love you too, Squirt. Wanna head back out, get some dinner?"

"Can I just have a minute by myself?"

"Time and space?"

"Just a little bit."

"No problem." Booth made his way towards the door, closing it gently behind him.

Brennan had watched Booth go to her daughter and sat numbly, staring at the hallway until she heard a loud crash. Parker had knocked over his block tower, sending the wooden pieces scattering across the living room. And he didn't look sorry.

"Parker is everything all right? It was a very nice tower, I can help you rebuild it if you like."

"No!" Parker shouted and kicked a block. It didn't go far, but it narrowly missed a statuette that Brennan had brought back from a trip to Africa several years ago. It was the petulant action from the usually calm boy that made her realize that something was bothering him, not just his architecturally unsound tower.

"Parker, would you please come sit with me on the couch?" Surprised that she wasn't yelling at him for almost taking out one of her pretty sculptures, he moved over to the sofa and climbed up next to her.

"I know that something is bothering you. Would you like to talk about it?"

"No." He buried his head into her side, and she gently stroked the boys hair. She was unsure how to proceed. If he was Lucy, she maybe would know what to say, but this wasn't her child. Would Booth be upset if she confronted his son over a tantrum? Realizing that her partner was doing exactly that with her own daughter, she gently hugged the boy.

"Parker, did I do something wrong?"

"No, Dr. Bones. I'm mad at Lucy and my Dad."

"Really? Why?"

"Because Dad loves Lucy now. He doesn't love me anymore." Once again, Brennan was unsure what she should do. She wanted to shout for Booth, she couldn't handle these feelings from the boy. She would mess this up and her partner would never forgive her. But Booth was nowhere in sight, and he was dealing with tough issues as it was. And she was Temperance Brennan, she did not just shy away from difficult topics, she had to try. She took a deep breath and started again.

"No, that is untrue."

"Yes it is. He gets to spend all of his time with Lucy now and she calls him, Dad. He doesn't want me anymore. He loves her more."

"Impossible. Parker, your father loves you very very much. He will never stop loving you, and he will never love Lucy more than he loves you. You are his son, nothing will ever change that."

"Then how come I never get to see him, and he can see Lucy every day?" Brennan sighed again as Parker crawled into her lap and buried his face deeply into her shoulder. She rubbed the boys back and tried to put her thoughts together.

"You are lucky enough to have a mother and a father who love you very much. Your mother and father both love you so much that they both want to see you as much as possible. I'm sorry, it's complicated, and I'm probably not explaining it very well, but your mom and dad think that it is best for you to spend most of your time with her. But your dad loves you, so much, every second that he gets to spend with you makes him very happy. He loves spending time with you. And just so you know, Lucy and I also enjoy our time with you. You are a very special little boy and you are lucky to have so many people who want to spend time with you." When Parker did not protest, she continued.

"As for Lucy, she isn't as lucky as you. She doesn't have a father of her own to talk to and do father and daughter things with her. It makes her sad, and your dad knows that. He is trying to be like a father for Lucy because he is a good man. And he is a good man, he wants to do nice things for everyone around him."

Parker considered for a moment. He was still a little sad, but he was reminded again of how much his father did love him, and how awesome his dad truly was. "Yeah, he is the best. I don't mind sharing, I guess. Nobody is better than my dad."

"I know."

"I'm sorry that I kicked that block. And that I got mad. I didn't really mean it."

"I know."

"I was just scared that Daddy didn't love me anymore."

She gave the boy's back one last soothing rub. "I know, Parker. We all get scared sometimes."

"Dr. Bones, you are pretty awesome."

"Thank you, Parker. You are pretty awesome yourself."

He shifted in her lap and reached his head to her ear. He tried to whisper, but his voice was still loud enough that Booth, who had just returned from Lucy's room could hear his son.

"I love you, Dr. Bones."

Without hesitation, she responded. "I love you too, Parker."

It was one of those moments where Booth's heart simultaneously skipped beats and pounded in his chest. Brennan held his son close to her and noticed him for the first time, leaning against the wall. The breath was knocked out of her when she saw the intensity of his gaze.

"Is everything all right with Lucy? Do I need to go talk to her?"

"No, she's fine. Just wanted a minute." His voice took on his cocky tone. "Didn't think I could handle it?" Booth moved away from the wall.

"No, I knew that you could handle it. You are excellent with Lucy." Booth took a step towards Brennan and Parker.

"And you're outstanding with Parker." He moved even closer and addressed his son. "You OK, Buddy?"

Parker reached over to his father and cuddled into his father's lap. "I'm sorry I was mean today. Do you still love me?"

Booth gasped a bit at the hurt in his son's voice, "Always, Parker. And a little bit more everyday."

Parker smiled his biggest smile at his father and then turned to Brennan. "You were right, Dr. Bones."

Booth ruffled his son's hair. "She usually is, Bub." Brennan smiled at the compliment.

Suddenly Parker squirmed out of Booth's grasp, running towards Lucy's room. "I hafta say sorry to Lucy."

Booth chuckled at the abrupt change in his son's mood. He found himself placing his arm around his partner and pulling her close. "Thanks, Bones."

"Anytime, Booth. You are a wonderful father." She then closed the gap between them, kissing him lightly on the cheeks. She pulled back and relaxed into his embrace and turned her attention to the television.

After a few moments of silence, Booth spoke. "You forgot to tell Parker something."'

Brennan pulled away from Booth, "Did I say something wrong? I'm not very good with children. But I tried..."

Booth quickly shushed his partner. He still couldn't explain her supreme confidence in her work abilities and her utter lack of it when it came to anything personal. "No, Bones. You were perfect with him. I only meant that you should tell him to thank Lucy for sharing _you_ with me and him. We're the lucky ones."

Brennan scoffed, hit her partner lightly on the arm and then settled back into his arms. They remained cuddled on the couch watching skateboarders on ramps until Lucy entered the room and told them that she and Parker were ordering pizza for dinner and asked the adults to set the table.


	25. Give It Away

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Chapter 24: Give It Away

July 27, 2006 Duck, North Carolina

"How much longer, Mom?" Lucy shouted down to her mother.

"Just a few more minutes, Lucy. Look, you can already see the pink in the sky."

Lucy settled back into the lifeguard chair that she and her "cousins" had commandeered while the beach was empty. Parker was snuggled into her side, but the early morning had proved to be too much and small boy had fallen back asleep. The adults of the group were settled on a blanket next to the stand, Russ cradling Amy and Booth next to Brennan. Booth longed to place his arms around Brennan and hold her tight against him as the morning still had a bit of chill in the air. But he had caught knowing glances from Russ and Amy so many times in the past few days that he didn't want to risk it. Of course his partner bringing him and his son on vacation did nothing to convince others that they were not, in fact, dating. His slack-jawed staring at Brennan when she was in a bathing suit had also not helped stop the teasing from Brennan's brother.

Booth looked out over the Atlantic and thought back on the past year. A year ago today he had helped rescue Lucy, a year ago today his partner had first kissed him, and a year ago today he had first realized how deeply and truly he cared for his partner and her daughter. It hadn't been an easy year. There had been fire, injuries, more kidnapping, and funerals, but he didn't think about those things now. He thought instead about sharing coffee while reading the paper at Brennan's apartment and he thought about how her hand had fit perfectly in his own. He thought about sitting in a hospital room and eating pudding together. He thought about pizza and sitting on the couch watching a movie with Parker and Lucy snuggled between them.

Without realizing it, his arm had reached around Brennan's shoulder and pulled her tight. Russ smirked over in their direction and Booth merely shrugged. He wasn't going to hide how he felt anymore, he couldn't if he tried. The sun was beginning to rise. There were a few clouds in the sky that reflected the light, and the sky was already a pale blue. It was going to be a wonderful day. Two joggers ran by along the surf and waved at the family. The children on the tower called hello as they watched the day begin.

Hayley began to cough a bit, which earned a concerned glance from all of the adults, but it stopped quickly and they relaxed as she began to giggle with Emma and Lucy about birthday plans. Parker was starting to stir, now ready to welcome the day. He yawned and stretched and joined his friends in their scheming. Stomachs rumbled and Brennan and Amy began to pull out the bagels, cream cheese and fruit that they had packed. The children reluctantly climbed down from the lifeguard tower, but cheerily joined in the eating of breakfast.

The beach steadily became more crowded as resort workers set out umbrellas and chairs along the stretch of sand. A few more joggers passed by and some families started to arrive laden with inner tubes, boogie boards, and tools for making sandcastles. Amy packed up the remnants of breakfast while Russ shook out the blanket. They were headed back to the house to change into swimsuits, sunscreen up and prepare for another day in the surf and sun.

Lucy's sharp eyes took one last look over the ocean. They would be back shortly, but it always hurt her heart to leave this place. She noticed some fins peeking out of the water and a spout of water. "Look! Mom, Parker, everyone! There are dolphins out there." She pointed out in the direction of the pod. They were out in the distance, but there were at least ten dolphins in the water. Hayley and Emma cooed in pleasure, and Parker asked his Dad to pick him up so that he could have a better look at the majestic mammals.

The group stayed and watched the dolphins swim and play in the distance. They never came close to shore, but still it was exciting to see. Lucy stood beside her Mom and hugged her. "Its going to be a good birthday, isn't it, Mom?"

Brennan smiled at her daughter and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Yes, Lucy, I think it will be."

The group walked slowly back to the large house that Brennan had rented. She had gotten beach-front property, so the trip was short. The children ran ahead and clamored into their room where clothes were quickly changed and sunscreen was rubbed into backs and faces. The adults also changed and chatted as they heard their children giggling on the floor below them.

Booth settled himself on a counter stool. "Bones, I think this was the best idea we've ever had."

Brennan smirked, "We?" Booth said nothing and Brennan spoke again, "I am glad that Cullen was able to give you the time off and that Rebecca relented and allowed Parker to accompany us."

Russ rubbed sunscreen onto Amy's back as he agreed, "Yep, it wouldn't have been the same trip without you, Booth. It's nice to see my sister so happy and relaxed."

Brennan didn't appreciate the teasing tone in her brother's voice and stuck her tongue out at him. The children thundered up the stairs at that moment, disrupting any further talk of the adults.

Booth clapped his hands together, "OK, Squirt. It's your birthday, and you already got your sunrise on the beach. What's next on your day of fun?"

"Back to the beach, where we build the best sandcastle ever. I've got the blue-prints drawn. And then some time playing the waves. Then the resort for lunch. And then to the Currituck Lighthouse. We've got the jet-ski rentals at four and then dinner. I'm going with the crabcakes tonight. And then back here for cake and ice cream."

Booth pretended to pout, "No pie tonight? What kind of birthday party is this?" Lucy giggled, as Brennan told him that there was also an apple pie on the menu. Booth grinned. "OK, then I'm in. It's going to be a busy day. Let's head out."

The children chorused their assent, and Emma and Hayley each grabbed on to one of Booth's arms. They had become instant fans of the agent and his jovial personality. Parker took the opportunity to approach Brennan while Lucy took one hand of her uncle and the other reached across to Amy, not wanting anyone to feel left out on this special day. The group made their way downstairs where they gathered everything that they needed for the day at the beach. The mud room on the ground floor was soon emptied as each person grabbed a different item. Lucy was the first one to open the door, ready to head back to the beach. She wasn't looking at her feet and tripped over a package as she entered into the sunshine.

"What is that?" Lucy dropped the inner tube that she was carrying in favor of picking up the strange package.

Instantly Booth was at her side. "Drop it, Lucy. You don't know what's in there." Lucy looked confused, but did as asked.

Brennan had joined them while the rest of the group wondered what the delay was. "Booth, what's going on?"

"Someone put an unmarked package outside the house of a formidable crime solving duo. You don't know what's inside." Brennan reached for the package, to find what was inside someone simply had to open it. Booth pulled her away as she tried to reach for the box on the ground. "Bones, we have a lot of enemies. And don't forget about who we arrested a year ago today." Two memories warred for top billing in Booth's mind. Thinking back to Kenton's refrigerator bomb and how bad things can be placed in the most innocent of places, Booth toed the package with his foot. Miller was safely locked away for the foreseeable future, but still it's possible that he could have connections that were bent on revenge.

Brennan's sharp eye caught something taped to the side of the package. "Booth, there is something taped there." Ignoring Booth's protest, she peeled the card from the package and opened it. "It says, 'Happy Birthday, Lucy! Sorry, I can't be there in person. Have a wonderful day. Love, Grandpa.'"

Booth whispered in Brennan's ear. "Is this from who I think it's from?"

Brennan's eyes were crystal clear as she stared at her partner, "Yes, this is from my father."


	26. Cold, Lonesome Morning

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Holy crap, it's going to be a long summer. Still processing that finale. Sorry for the delay, I was temporarily taken hostage by Castle, but I'm back. Enjoy.

Chapter 25: Cold, Lonesome Morning

July 27, 2006 Duck, North Carolina

The first sound was the cooler hitting the ground. Russ had been holding it, and it made a loud thunk as ice packs and water bottles shifted. He nearly barreled over his girlfriend as he forced his way outside. He could be heard shouting for his father like he was calling for a lost puppy or child. It was futile, but he kept calling.

Brennan picked up the package and held it limply between her hands. Her eyes were full of questions. Booth stood with a stony glare on his face. Lucy also stood motionless staring at the brown package.

Amy looked around awkwardly, and then quietly gathered up the three youngest children trying to coax them into playing a board game. The children weren't pleased as they had been ready to head to the beach and enjoy the summer day. But they knew that something was wrong and allowed themselves to be led back upstairs, leaving behind a trail of towels and toys.

Lucy spoke first. She reached for the package, "Mom, can I open it now?"

Brennan's hands tightened around the brown paper wrapping. "No. We are going to throw it away."

Lucy protested, "No, it's mine. I want it."

Brennan thrust the box into Booth's hand. "Throw it away. I don't want to see it. She can't have it."

Booth clutched the box, unsure what to do. Both Brennans stood with their arms crossed staring at him, waiting for him to decide.

He looked towards his partner, "Look, Bones."

Brennan knew that she was losing the argument. "No, Booth. She can't have it."

"There may be some sort of clue as to where he is. At least let's see what's inside." He handed the package to Lucy and attempted to place his arms around Brennan's shoulder, an apology for siding with the girl. Brennan pulled away abruptly, angry with him. He still stood beside her, offering his support despite her refusal to accept it.

Lucy gently tugged at the corner of the paper and carefully unwrapped the box. She pulled off the lid only to see a smaller box inside wrapped in the same brown paper. Twice more she unwrapped smaller boxes, growing more confused. Finally, she found a small blue velvet box. Unclasping the lid she looked inside. Resting on a piece of velvet was a delicate chain with a pendant dangling from it. It was a silver hoop was supporting Lucy's birthstone, a small ruby, on the bottom left, while the top right featured a dolphin leaping over the gem. Lucy gasped at the present. She had been given jewelry before, but never something like that.

She held the jewelry box out to the adults. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

Booth looked a bit incredulous, "Uhh, I think that you are supposed to wear it, Squirt."

Lucy nodded a little numbly, "Yes, of course. That's rational."

Brennan seemed to finally find her voice. "We should send it to the Jeffersonian."

Booth and Lucy spoke at the same time, "Why?"

"Angela might be able to identify the artist. It's clearly a custom piece. And Hodgins can analyze the metal, see if he can isolate where it came from. And we should send him all of the wrappings, I am sure that my father left some sort of clue. Hodgins may be able to tell us where my father is. We can find him." Her eyes had lit up at the thought.

Booth exhaled before speaking. "Bones, I don't think it's a good idea."

Brennan looked at him with her sad eyes, the expression that he hated to see. "Why not?"

"I just don't want you to get your hopes up. Clearly, he doesn't want to be found. If we send this stuff to DC, what happens when they can't find anything? I don't want you to be disappointed. He's been in hiding for 15 years, you have to be good to stay hidden that long. He already took a risk dropping off that package, I doubt he left GPS coordinates for you."

Brennan merely shrugged. "My team is the best in the world, if anyone can find my father, it's them."

Booth rubbed the back of his neck and ruffled his hair. "I know how talented they are, I just don't want to see you hurt. I know that you want answers, heck, we all do, but..." He couldn't finish his sentence. This was a no-win situation. Not finding Brennan's father could be as heart-breaking as finding him and not getting the answers that Brennan longed for.

Lucy closed the lid on the box and handed it to Booth. "Let's send it to Aunt Angela. She may learn something about it. We should at least try. I guess my fingerprints are all over the paper, but maybe there is something else that Hodgins can find. We need to try."

Booth nodded and made his way upstairs. "Fine, I'll take care of it. I have been around for quite a few crime scenes, I guess I can handle sending a package to Angela. I'll give you two a few minutes."

Brennan looked as if she wanted to question Booth's ability to gather some paper and mail it, but she let it go. She turned to her daughter, appreciative that her daughter was willing to sacrifice her gift in order to try and get some answers.

Lucy's voice was still quiet as she spoke. "I'm going to my room. I need a few minutes." She left without waiting for her mother's approval and made her way up the stairs.

Lucy leaned back against the headboard in her rented room. She longed for her own room, her own things surrounding her and giving her comfort. This was not the birthday that she had planned. She had wanted fun and family, she just wasn't expecting this much family. It was too much. She had too many thoughts racing through her head. She needed time to process her thoughts.

Brennan knocked on the door jamb as the door was still open. "May I come in?"

Lucy was about to nod, but found herself speaking instead. "Why do you hate your dad?"

"I don't hate him."

"It seems like you do, you always get really mad or really sad whenever someone mentions your dad. I don't understand it."

Brennan bit her lip and silently walked over to Lucy's bed. Brennan slid on top of the covers and placed her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "I don't hate your grandfather. It's just that he left me and your Uncle Russ. I was only fifteen and suddenly my parents were gone. I ended up alone in foster care. It was very difficult and I was very lonely. It was very difficult growing up without my parents, foster care was not pleasant for me."

Lucy contemplated this information. Yes, she knew the barest of facts about her mother, but her mother was never so open about it. "And you blame your dad."

"Yes, you know that I don't believe in lying to you. I do blame him. He left me."

Lucy snuggled into Brennan's side. "Mom, thank you for always being there for me. I don't know what I would do without you."

Brennan scoffed. She was always uncomfortable with such overt affection. She loved her daughter, but she always had difficulty accepting that love in return. But she was always honest. "I don't know what I'd do without you either."

Lucy accepted that response and cuddled a little closer. "Will you be very sad if we can't find your father? I know you miss him."

Brennan did not answer. She needed her own time to process, but Lucy seemed to not need an answer, she was already asking more questions. "Can I keep the necklace? You know after we process it for evidence? It is pretty. I liked it."

"We'll see. Hodgins may destroy it in an experiment gone wrong."

Lucy's jaw dropped slightly. "Did you just make a joke, Mom?"

Brennan smiled, "I am becoming quite humorous."

Lucy poked her mother. "Yes, you are. I have another question."

"Go ahead."

"Why did he wrap my present in so many boxes?"

Brennan looked off into the distance, remembering. She took a moment, despite her considerable intelligence, she didn't trust her memories. "He used to do that as a joke for me and Russ. We would ask for something, and he would wrap it in unusual boxes so that we would be surprised. There was this calculator that I wanted once and he actually wrapped it in this appliance box that our neighbors discarded. He filled the whole thing with foam. I had to dig for twenty minutes to find it. He was very amused at my frustration."

Lucy smiled, "I'm glad that you have a few happy memories of your dad. It's nice to have them."

"Yes, I do have a few."

"I'd like to hear them sometime. If that's OK?"

Brennan nodded, "I will consider it."

Lucy sat and thought for another moment. "I have one more question."

"Yes."

"Do you think that I'm missing out by not meeting my other cousins? I've been having so much fun with Parker and Hayley and Emma. I think that I want to meet the rest of my family. I want happy memories to think about. I don't want to be sad because I am missing part of my family, especially since we know where they are. I've been thinking about it for a long time, but I think that I've made a decision."

Brennan just nodded and Lucy continued. "I want to meet my other cousins. I love my lab family, but I think that I'd like having another family, I want to at least meet them. I don't want to wait anymore. Family isn't so bad, we might like them."

Brennan swallowed, "If that is what you want, we can talk about it."

"Do you think Booth will come with us?"

"If we ask him to, and he has no plans, I assume that he would be willing to accompany us."

Lucy sat for one last moment and then smiled brightly. "OK, let's go get the others. I don't want to mope anymore. It's my birthday and we are going to enjoy it. And we are going to wipe the floor with everyone else on the jet-skis. I mean blow them out of the water."

"Yes, that sounds acceptable."

Brennan followed her daughter out of the room, it was time to compartmentalize and make the best of the day. She was determined to have fun and push thoughts of her father away. She was still contemplating how she was going to act happy when an arm came around her waist. The masculine scent and voice that accompanied the gesture set her at ease.

"You OK, Bones?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"I'm going to find a post office and I can meet you guys for lunch. We'll find him, Temperance. We will."

Brennan avoided his gaze, "Why are you so nice to me?"

Booth squeezed her a bit tighter, "Come on, Bones. Let's get you out in the sunshine, it's a beautiful day."

"Yes, it is."


	27. Lately I Been Leanin' Toward The Blues

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: It's been a long delay. I apologize. I hurt my knee, but as I don't need my feet to type. It's not really an excuse. Once, again, I'm sorry. Enjoy.

Chapter 26: Lately I Been Leanin' Toward The Blues

August 3, 2006 The Jeffersonian Institution

"Bupkis, I've got bupkis." Hodgins groaned as he dropped down onto Angela's office sofa.

Angela looked up from her monitor, "What?"

"Zilch, zero, nada, nothing..."

Angela rolled her eyes at him, "Yeah, I got you. You didn't come up with anything? At all?"

Hodgins sighed and rubbed his wrist. He had long ago stopped wearing the rubber band that he had grown used to snapping, he thought he was over his anger issues. Apparently, they weren't all gone. "Matthew Brennan, Max Keenan, whoever the hell he is, he's diabolical."

Angela swung around in her chair. "I know. I tracked down the artist that made the necklace. He lives in LA. The guy says that the necklace was a commission piece. Mailed it to a PO Box in Tampa. It was paid for with a money order from Topeka. The order came over the internet. I tracked down the IP address to a public library in Seattle. He's deliberately sending us on a wild goose chase. It's driving me crazy."

Hodgens nodded, "Tell me about it. The paper was made in Wisconsin, available commercially at any chain. The boxes came from a warehouse in California, but are also available anywhere. The particulates were all from North Carolina in origin, so they were wrapped there, probably bought there. The only fingerprints were Lucy's. I'm telling you, this guy makes your Dad appear normal."

Angela smirked. "You saw my Dad once, through a pane of glass. You don't get to judge."

Hodgins grinned, "He's best admired from a distance. I have seen him play before. You don't know everything about me, you know?"

"I know enough." Angela turned back to her monitor, her expression carefully guarded. "What are we supposed to tell Bren, and Lucy? They came back from vacation, expecting answers, and we have nothing useful. Did you know that Lucy has decided that she wants to meet her father's family? She's all excited know about getting a magical family all happily together. I think she thinks that she can get her grandfather here with her and Bren, and she can meet her other grandmother and these cousins and they will all be one big happy family."

"Poor kid. She thinks it's going to be sunshine and rainbows. Her grandfather is a bank robber who abandoned her mother. And who knows what the other branch of the family tree is like. They've ignored her for years. What does she think is going to happen if we find him?" Hodgins continued to rub at his wrist. Lucy was a miniature Brennan, tough as nails on the outside but with a naivete that would tug at your heartstrings once you realized that it was there.

Angela bit her lip, "I don't know. I'm worried about them. They came back all tanned and fresh from their little trip, expecting us to wrap up Brennan's Dad with a bow like a belated birthday present. And we've got nothing."

"I told you he was diabolical. He doesn't want to be found and he isn't going to be. Even Booth can't come up with anything. At least they've got us around."

"Us?"

Angela could have sworn that Hodgins blushed a bit, "Yeah, you know, the lab. Zack, Goodman, me. And well, you are her best friend. And they've got Booth. We'll get them through this."

"You are a very sweet man, you know that, Jack? You are a big old softie."

Hodgins stood up, not ready to reveal the depths of emotion that he felt for the team. He prided himself on his scientific objectiveness and detachment almost as much as Brennan. But he knew and he suspected that Angela knew as well that it was all a front. "OK, time for me to get back to work. I've got some slime profiles to work on. I wish I had something else going on. I never would have thought that I would have found slime boring."

"No argument here. Now that we are in the mystery game, slime just doesn't have the same ring. I've got to get back to a consultation for someone over in Antiquities. It's so dull over there, I actually fell asleep during our last meeting."

Hodgins worked his way toward the door. "You know, tomorrow is Friday, maybe we can do something to spice up our lives after hours."

Angela smiled, "I'd like that, want to try that bar, Founding Fathers? Looks like it could be our kind of place."

"Sounds like a plan. Good luck with Antiquities, stay awake."

Angela's response was laced with the slightest hint of sarcasm as Hodgins finally left the room. "Enjoy those slime profiles. Grab nose plugs."

* * *

Lucy bounced into Angela's office, still a bit sweaty from her karate class. "So, any news? You got anything on the necklace? Or the package?"

Angela was just gathering her bag together, ready to go home, and not quite ready to disappoint her honorary niece. "Where is your mom?"

"Talking to Dr. Goodman about a dig outside of Albuquerque. Did you hear that he's taking a sabbatical?"

Angela looked up from her desk. "What are you talking about, Sweetie? Where did you hear that?"

"I was visiting him the other day, and he mentioned it. He told me it's still a secret, but I don't think that he's planning on coming back. Guess he's tired of being an administrator. I'd be tired of trying to boss Mom and Hodgins around. Or Zack."

"Maybe he just wants to get back to his passion. Like your mom and her digs. She still planning that trip to Africa?"

"I don't know, the vacation to North Carolina and meeting my other family might have changed her mind. And I think she wants to be in town when we find my Grandpa."

"Sweetie, look. Maybe we should wait for Bren before we talk about this." Angela sighed.

Lucy correctly interpreted the sadness on Angela's face, "You can't find him."

"No, Jack and I, we did everything we could, but he doesn't want to be found. We've got clues, but they lead to everywhere."

Lucy nodded, "And therefore, nowhere."

"I'm sorry, Sweetie. I know that you want to meet him."

"I just want my family all together again. I want Mom to be happy. Ever since we got that voicemail, Mom's been different. She won't talk to me about it, but she wants to find him. She wants answers. I want them too. Why did he leave, why doesn't he love us?"

Angela came over to the girl and gave her a quick hug. "OK, stop right there. He loves you and your Mom. And I'm not him. I can't give you answers. Maybe we will find him someday, and you will get them. But for now, take this." Angela walked back to her desk, grabbing the necklace out of the box on the table and handed it to the girl. "And wear it, knowing that out there, somewhere, there are people who love you."

Lucy slipped the chain over her neck, fingering the pendant delicately. "It is pretty."

"Yes, it is."

Lucy smirked. "So it's you and _Jack_ now is it?"

"Oh be quiet. What about you and Carter? I heard he sent you a card for your birthday. Handmade."

Lucy continued to finger the pendant. "We are just friends, he's nice."

"Oh come on, there's got to be more dirt than that, kiddo. He likes you."

Lucy grinned at Angela. "How about I give you the dirt that you really want. Mom and Booth got pretty cozy on vacation."

"Exactly, how cozy?"

Lucy never got to answer as Brennan entered the office. "I've been looking for you. I grabbed the files I need. Are you ready to go home and get some dinner?"

Lucy looked hopeful as she turned to her mother. "Is Booth coming over?"

"No, why would you think that?"

"You came back after karate to grab files. I just thought that he was going to come over and do some paperwork, you know the usual excuse for you two to hang out."

"We haven't had a case in weeks, there is no paperwork. These are files Goodman asked me to look at. He needs a temporary replacement when he goes on his sabbatical. He asked me to look at qualified applicants. I don't understand why he just doesn't leave me in charge. I am more than qualified to run the Medico-Legal lab."

Angela raised an eyebrow, "Well, you were planning to head out of town to for that dig in Darfur. He'd still need someone to take over for the both of you."

"That is a valid point. But..."

"No, buts. Don't worry about it. I'm sure that you are in the running. The whole lab has nothing but respect for you, our fearless leader. Go on, go home, get some dinner. I'll see you tomorrow. We'll do lunch. And you are finally going to tell me all about shacking up with Booth."

"I don't know what that means."

"Don't play coy with me, Brennan. A little birdie told me that you were all cozy with Agent Studly."

"Come along, Lucy. It's time to go home." Brennan turned on her heel and walked out of the office.

Lucy trailed behind her mother as Angela called after them. "Come on, Bren. A girl needs details."

* * *

Lucy and Brennan were resting on Lucy's bed, continuing their nightly tradition of reading together. They didn't always read aloud to one another anymore, but would often lay side-by-side, each reading their own books or journals, just spending time together.

Lucy replaced her bookmark and set her novel on the bed-side table. I think I'm done for the evening."

Brennan closed her journal, "Yes, it is getting late. Lucy, I spoke with Hodgins earlier. He isn't going to be able to trace my father."

"Yeah, I know. Aunt Angela told me. Are you OK?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing. I'm fine, what about you."

Brennan sat up in the bed. "I will be fine. I promise." Brennan leaned over and planted a soft kiss on her daughter's forehead. "Goodnight, Lucy."

"Night, Mom. I love you."

"I love you, too." Brennan exited the room, flicking off the lights. She was just turning the sheets down in her own bed when her phone lit up and vibrated.

"Brennan."

"Hey, it's me." Booth's voice on the other end responded. "Just checking in. I stopped in the lab, but you were already gone for the evening. I'm so proud of you, leaving at a normal hour."

Brennan climbed into bed and pulled the sheets around her. "Yes, well, tonight was karate night for Lucy and myself. We usually just head back to the apartment to shower and eat."

"Yeah, so, I know we don't have a case right now, but I just thought that maybe you'd like to do lunch tomorrow."

"I'm sorry, I already have plans with Angela, perhaps we can have dinner. I have a new eggplant dish that I wanted to try. We should have plenty if you want to join us."

Booth gave an unseen grimace. "I've got dessert then." At least it wasn't tofu, this time.

"Tomorrow night at seven then."

Booth nodded before realizing that she couldn't see him. "Sounds good."

"Good night, Booth."

Booth wasn't quite ready to hang up the phone. They had been caseless since before their trip, and they hadn't seen each other since they had departed North Carolina. "Hey, Bones?"

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to say thanks again for inviting Parker and me to North Carolina. He had a great time. I think Rebecca's a bit jealous."

Brennan burrowed into her pillow. "I didn't mean to cause more strife in your relationship with your ex. I'm sorry."

"No, I didn't mean that. Thanks for letting him tag along. I can't give him a lot of those kinds of things, so thanks."

"You already thanked me, Booth. You didn't need to do it again."

"Yes, I did. And I'm going to keep thanking you."

Brennan glanced at her alarm clock. "I have to go, Lucy has an early departure for her science camp. They are going on a nature hike, and I need to make sure that she is prepared."

"She'll be fine. She's going to know more than the guide."

Brennan gave a soft chuckle. "That is likely. She and Hodgins have gone on several hikes identifying flora and fauna. I am sure that she will enjoy it though."

"Yes, she will."

"Good night, Booth."

"Hey, Bones?"

Brennan's eyes rolled. "Yes, Booth."

"I've missed you."

"It's been four days." But Booth had already hung up his phone, pleased at getting in the last word and debating what he'd bring over for dessert.


	28. Family Bible

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Hey look! An update. This is the chapter that would not end, but I'm quite proud of it. I hope that you enjoy it as well.

Chapter 27: Family Bible

August 12, 2006 Annapolis, Maryland

Lucy fidgeted in the backseat of her mother's car. She was wearing a new dress that Angela had picked out for the occasion. It was white with a strawberry print on it. There was a green ribbon around the waist and a coordinating cardigan that Lucy was picking imaginary lint off of. Her normally wavy hair was tamed back in a French braid that had also been Angela's creation. The look was accented by a ribbon that matched the sash on the dress.

She rubbed the sparkling ruby ballet flats that completed the look together, feeling nervous. Angela had also picked them out on a previous shopping day. She had proclaimed them "Dorothy" shoes, which had prompted a long debate about how the slippers were silver in the original books and had been changed for effect in the film. That evening had ended with popcorn and a DVD viewing of the movie, and a discussion on its cultural impact.

Lucy smiled at the memory. It had been a long time since that girls' day out. She had enjoyed the time together, even if her mother found the shopping a bit tedious and unnecessary. Lucy always liked that Angela was always forcing her mom to buy dresses and pretty things. Brennan so often settled for the "eco-warrior" look. Her mother said that it was practical, but Lucy had noticed that many of Angela's pieces had begun to make more frequent appearances in Brennan's wardrobe. Even today, her mother was wearing heels, a rare event in itself.

Booth sat in the passenger side, dressed in a nice button-down and slacks. He fidgeted with the stereo knobs, played with the volume, and toyed with the GPS. They still had about ten minutes to go, and he had spent the majority of the journey trying to keep the Brennans' nerves at bay. He was feeling a bit anxious himself, more for the two women in his life and what was going to occur on this day.

Lucy had been determined to meet her father's family and Brennan had made it happen. E-mails had been exchanged, and a meeting had been coordinated. Eva would be in town with her family, and the matriarch was supposed to make an appearance as well. It was a full-fledged family reunion. He had seen Lucy bond with Russ and his family, and he only hoped that this event would work as well as their vacation had.

The automated voice warned them of their next turn, and Brennan turned on her blinker and merged as needed. Her knuckles on the steering wheel were a bit white as she gripped it hard. Booth took to playing with his window button, opening and closing the window fractions of an inch. This action prompted her to yell at him for acting like a child and disrupting the homeostasis of the air-conditioned vehicle. He grinned at her admonishment. He was performing his duty as required, being there for his partner no matter what. They continued to sit in silence the remainder of the trip.

* * *

Patricia Andrews née Montgomery was a formidable woman according to those who tried to describe her politely. The daughter of a social climber with expectations, Patricia had always done what she was supposed to do. She had been a prom queen and beauty pageant contestant. She attended a prestigious all-female university, where she majored in something useless and graduated with a rather sizable heirloom diamond ring on her finger. She followed Robert to Chicago, where his father invited him into the firm where his career and their family had prospered. A large house in River Forest, next door to one designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, had become the family home. She herself tended the roses in the front yard and looked with pride upon the life that she had built.

Robbie had joined the family first, his sandy hair and Andrews' blue eyes had made her the envy of her social circle. Eighteen months later, Eva came along, followed three years later by Thomas. The group looked impressive on Christmas cards, toothy grins and matching cashmere sweaters. The mantle was filled with pictures of exotic vacations and the sights of the city. Yes, they were a perfect family, and Patricia demanded perfection. It was inevitable that cracks would begin to form in the firm family foundation.

It had started with a young and vibrant secretary at Robert's firm. It was never more than rumors, but jealousy reared its ugly head, and the girl was discreetly shuffled over to another office. The first crisis had been averted, but followed by others. Eva had quit her dance and singing lessons in favor of rough and tumble sports, and refused to attend the private high school that was her birthright. It was a devastating blow to the woman who had wanted a daughter to follow in her footsteps. Then Robbie had decided that the partying life was more fun than academics. More than one late night phone call from the police station had forced the parents from their bed. It was Robert's litigious nature and good name that kept Robbie from facing charges. Weekends of community service kept him off of the police blotter, but the damage had been done. Patricia carefully avoided her book club for several months after one particular incident.

Thomas was the one who had never disappointed her. He was the valedictorian of his class, he was the one who stayed in Chicago for college, coming home most weekends to do his laundry and chauffeur his mother to her various appointments. He was the one who always did as he was told, the peacekeeper between his parents and his independent siblings. And then Tom had fallen in love.

Patricia hadn't realized what the problem was at first. He had entered the graduate program at Northwestern and things had remained the same. Gradually, his visits home became less frequent, he said that he was too busy with being a Teaching Assistant and his own course load and research. But Patricia knew something was up. He casually mentioned how he had connected with his students, and thought that a professorship may be his ultimate goal. Then one day he had mentioned his favorite student, a girl called Tempe from some place called Burtonsville. He had mentioned that the girl had some sort of trust fund, so perhaps she would be an acceptable addition to the family. Something in Tom's voice had hinted that the girl was special.

Patricia waited for him to mention her again, but he never did. She waited for him to bring the girl home, but Tom never did. She expected him to ask for the antique ring that would be his for the giving, but he never did. Instead, he announced his intention to head to Brazil, asked his father for money to help finance his way, and planned his trip. And then, he refused to come home for Thanksgiving. He said he had other plans. She couldn't say definitively what his plans were, but she had an inkling, they involved the girl. And then all hell had broken loose. Patricia wouldn't dwell on that now.

Still, Patricia's thoughts were bogged down with the disappointments of her life. One would think that the loss of her precious son would make her soften, appreciate what she still had. Instead, she had hardened her heart. She sipped her martini and swept her eyes over the backyard of Robbie's home. Robbie had matured from his youthful indiscretions to follow in his father's footsteps. He had, however, refused to join his father's firm and had instead settled in Maryland, a blow to both of his parents. His wife, Catalina was serving iced tea from the picnic table, placing a lid on Brady's sippy-cup as she brushed her abdomen. Her fourth son was due shortly, and he was making his presence known.

Catalina was a petite woman with dark hair that Patricia thought she kept too long, especially for a woman with three growing boys. She was the daughter of a prominent classical composer and a veterinarian. Catalina's unforgivable fault was that she had been born in Mexico, and had moved to the States at the tender age of three. She had become a citizen, and Catalina had rarely returned to the city that her parents had been born in. Catalina had been a social worker, called in to consult on a pro bono case that Robbie had used to build his resume. He had asked her out to dinner, enchanted by the woman with the musical laugh, dark eyes, and steely determination. They had met two years before Tom's death, and had eloped three months after the funeral, when it became clear that Patricia was not going to welcome the woman with open arms.

Catalina was trilingual and had spent a year living in Vienna when her father was invited to guest compose there. She was cultured and good-natured and had tried for the approval of her mother-in-law. Catalina's immigrant status and delight in being a lowly social worker had set Patricia unfairly against her. Tommy's birth had filled some of the gulf between them, and Patricia was slowly coming around the woman's charm and grace. Catalina smiled and waved at Patricia as she bent over to pick up the cup that Brady had insisted on throwing on the ground.

Patricia's gaze shifted and settled on her only daughter. The Thanksgiving that Thomas had refused to attend had brought the introduction of Eva's fiancé John. He was a doctoral candidate like Eva, a microbiologist while she was an engineer. They applied for post-doctoral fellowships in Seattle and had planned to live together while planning a wedding for the following summer. Two weeks after Thomas' funeral, Eva had defended her thesis, literally written a Dear John letter and had fled to Paris, to a fellowship that she had secretly applied to. Six months later she was embroiled in a torrid affair with a temperamental artist named Sophie. They had moved in together and had been soul-mates for a decade. Eva and Patricia did not speak for several years after Eva's departure, Eva's lifestyle was not one that Patricia could accept. The call explaining that she and Sophie had picked a donor and were expecting twins was not returned.

It was Robert's death that had brought Eva and her family back to the States for the first time since she fled her engagement and familial expectations. Jean-Paul and Andre were just as impetuous as Sophie and Eva, and had run through a series of au pairs while one mother worked with simulations and the other splattered paint on canvas. Still the boys had wormed their way into Patricia's life in the few times that they had been on the same continent. They affectionately dubbed her Grand-mère and showered her with kisses. They spoke English with an enchanting accent, and Patricia found herself falling under their spell, as much as she wanted to deny it.

Patricia was pulled from her internal musings by the arrival of the last group invited to the party. A tall man entered the back yard first, extending his hand and greeting everyone warmly. He was followed by the well-dressed woman that Patricia had only met in person once before. Temperance Brennan clung tightly to the hand of her daughter, the girl only before seen in annual photographs. Lucy was taller than Patricia expected, although the mother was tall and her Thomas had been over six-feet as well.

Patricia watched the girl be greeted with hugs by her three aunts. Lucy spoke to a blue-haired Sophie in perfect French earning a second hug and a round of laughter. The boys were rounded up and aligned themselves by age. Andre and Jean-Paul had a brief spat over their seventeen minute age gap and how it affected their place in line, but it was soon resolved. Lucy had retreated back to her mother and had held her hand as she made her way down the line.

It was Brady who broke the ice, reaching for Lucy's patterned dress and telling the whole party that strawberries were his favorite fruits. She had smiled and agreed, and the boy was smitten. He had then pulled the girl over to the swing set and demanded that the girl swing with him. All of the children followed behind, not wanting to miss the fun and the adults continued to converse.

The tall man stayed by Brennan's side for awhile, bridging gaps and encouraging her. Patricia remained in her chair, finishing her drink and watching Robbie and the tall man begin to toss a football around while the females sat at the picnic table and talked. Eva and Brennan, having doctorates and lab experience, had much to talk about and seemed to separate themselves a bit. Eventually, Catalina stood and made her way to Patricia's seat.

"Patricia, I'm going inside to grab the photo albums. Temperance has expressed interest in seeing some of the old ones. Why don't you join us? She really is a lovely woman, she won't bite."

Patricia nodded, but remained seated. She wandered back in time to the first time that she had met Temperance Brennan. It was a hot summer evening and Robert had been at a partner's dinner that would keep him out late and bring him home smelling of scotch and cigars. The doorbell ringing had been unexpected, and Patricia set down her novel to answer the summons. She glanced out the side window and saw a girl with dark hair wrapped in a coat entirely too heavy for the weather outside. Patricia hesitantly opened the door, and stared down at her. "Yes, can I help you?"

"Mrs. Andrews?"

"Yes."

"I was a student, a friend of your son, Thomas. May I come in?"

Patricia hesitated for a moment, "I suppose so. Come in." The house had central air-conditioning, and Brennan had shivered as she stepped into the cool home. "Is there something that you needed?"

Brennan bit her lip and held the coat even more tightly around her. "May we sit down? I am told that most people prefer to sit when discussing something serious." Patricia led her into the formal living room, rarely used except when entertaining guests. Brennan closed her eyes and breathed deeply before speaking. "My name is Temperance Brennan. I'm an Anthropology major at Northwestern, I was rather close with Tom."

And it clicked for Patricia, this was the girl that Thomas had been in love with. She was pretty, striking really, and Patricia could see why Tom had been interested. But Patricia had needed someone to blame and she had settled on the mysterious woman in Tom's life. This was the girl who had torn her family apart. Had it been a break-up with her that had forced her son to another hemisphere? Had she given him some sort of ultimatum and that was why he had picked the girl over his own mother? And then something else clicked for the Andrews' matriarch.

Temperance Brennan was pregnant, very pregnant.

"Tom isn't the father, is he?"

Brennan looked at her shoes and nodded. "Yes, he is the father. It wasn't planned. I never told him. I just thought that you would like to know. It's going to be a girl."

Patricia said nothing for a long moment. "Are you here looking for a check? Because I don't believe in blackmail. Did you come here with a sob story, hoping for a pay day?"

Brennan continued to stare at her shoe, and responded softly. "No, no. I have some money. I just don't have much family, and I wanted my child to have hers. I never had any grandparents, it might be nice for her to have some extended family. I just wanted to tell you the truth. If you want..."

She was cut off by Patricia, "What I want is for you to leave here, and never come back. I don't know who you are, or what you did to my son to trap him, but he is gone, and don't think that you can trap us. If your story is even true, which I doubt, don't think..."

Brennan's eyes suddenly snapped up, spitting fire. "I didn't trap him. I just wanted to be honest with you. I didn't mean to upset you."

Patricia stood, her voice icy. "Well, thank you for the information, it is late. You should get back to school, Evanston is quite a hike from here. Good evening."

Brennan stood as well, tears unexpectedly stinging her eyes, "Yes, I'll go. I'm sorry about Thomas, he was my only friend. I do miss him."

Patricia marched to the front door and held it open, "Good night, Miss Brennan."

With one final, "I'm sorry," Temperance Brennan walked out the door.

Two months later a card arrived with no return address and enclosed a picture of an infant with the Andrews' eyes and a dusting of brown hair. Once a year, another would arrive, the girl aging but always with a bright smile and piercing blue eyes. Patricia still held onto her anger and grief, but opened each card and then hid it away in a shoe box. She relived her own guilt with the arrival of each card, but her pride kept her from reaching out to her husband with the truth or trying to find her granddaughter. Ten such cards arrived before Patricia saw the woman's face again on the book jacket of her club's latest selection, six months later she needed to have her gallbladder removed and here she was today.

Steeling herself, Patricia stood up and moved over to the picnic table. Brennan stood, and waited for the woman to approach. Instantly, the tall man was at her side, panting lightly and joined by Rob whose knee was covered in a grass stain and whose hair was askew.

Patricia spoke first, "Miss Brennan, how lovely to see you again."

Both Brennan and Booth corrected her, "It's Dr. Brennan." Brennan continued, "Temperance is fine."

"Then call me Patricia, we are all trying to be friends here, aren't we?"

Brennan nodded, "And this is my partner Special Agent Seeley Booth."

Booth extended his hand, and for the first time since he had arrived, the smile on his face was forced. "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Andrews, Patricia, feel free to call me Booth. No one uses my first name."

Patricia nodded, "How long have you two been together?"

Brennan answered, "We've been work partners for just over a year. I consult with the FBI."

"And how long have you been dating?"

"We are just partners." Booth turned his head away and Patricia's brow furrowed. Further questioning was stopped by the shouting of children as they ran to the table. Lucy was in the middle of the group, Cole holding one hand and Jean-Paul holding the other. Her hair ribbon had become untied and trailed behind her. She released her cousins' hands and smoothed her dress. She ran a hand along her hair and awkwardly retied the dangling ribbon.

Lucy stood beside her mother, and extended her hand. "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Andrews. I'm Lucy."

"Yes, I know. That is a very pretty dress."

"Thank you, my Aunt Angela helped pick it out. Well she isn't really my aunt, she's Mom's best friend, and I've known her my whole life. She works at the lab with mom. She's an artist, too. You'd really like her, she's very fun."

Booth pressed a hand on her shoulder, "Squirt, your babbling."

Lucy turned back to Booth. "Quiet, FBI guy. I'm nervous." He chuckled and even Patricia cracked a smile.

"Yes, I suppose this is a rather frightening situation. I suppose that I am rather scary."

Lucy let out a heavy breath. "You have no idea." She smiled politely, but didn't know what else to say.

Rob used the lull in the conversation to bring up lunch, an idea that all of the males loudly agreed to. Several family members retreated to the kitchen to grab the food, while Booth and Rob happily fired up the grill. Lucy sat at one end of the picnic table, looking over photo albums with Brennan and Catalina. Patricia made up the fourth member of the quartet. And for the first time in eleven years, remembering the past was not painful for her. Rob had apparently raided many of the family albums, as Patricia poured over Christmases and vacations, as well as Chicago's tourist attractions: the Brookfield Zoo, the Magnificent Mile, the Lake Shore, Ed Debevic's.

Brennan pointed out various landmarks to Lucy, and the girl leaned against her mother, looking at the strangers who were suddenly becoming her family. She was pulled away when she was asked to judge a jumping-off-the-swing competition and she hopped off of the bench to join her cousins. Eva took the empty seat left as Sophie took pictures of the children playing.

Eva turned to Brennan. "Enough with the past. Let's talk about the present. When's your next book coming out? Rob sent me a copy in the mail awhile ago. I couldn't put it down." Brennan spoke of her publishing plans and quickly promised an advanced copy to anyone who was interested. Eva wasn't through with her questions. "Now, tell me about the hunk that you brought with you, Tempe."

Brennan looked over at Booth, who was now wearing an apron and flipping burgers. He grinned and waved at the table when he felt Brennan's eyes on his.

"He is a very good friend, and very kind to Lucy."

"So he's here for moral support?"

"Yes, I suppose that is it. He is an excellent partner."

Eva was looking for more gossip, but appreciated the sensitivity of the situation, "So, what do you think of our group here?"

"Everyone is very kind. Booth was right, that we shouldn't have been nervous. I'm glad we came."

Catalina now spoke, "Yes, we are glad that you are here. It's nice to have some more girls around, and Lucy is very sweet. Brady's already in love."

Brennan smiled at the compliment, "Yes, she is gregarious. I am very proud of her."

Patricia was the next one to speak, "She's a very lucky girl."

Booth had come to stand behind Brennan, and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Yes, she is." The women looked up and stared at the interruption, but Booth didn't miss a beat. "Food's ready, I'm rounding up the troops. Come on, Bones, let's eat. I'm starving."

Catalina raised an eyebrow at Eva, as Booth led Brennan to the grill, her hand in his. She whispered to her sister-in-law. "Bones?"

Eva shrugged and reached for the pitcher of iced tea, "I like them. It's a shame that I'm not in the States more, but Lucy and Brennan would fit right in in Paris, Lucy speaks better French than me."

Patricia closed the album in front of her. "It's a shame we've wasted so many of the past eleven years." Eva reached out and placed her hand on her mothers.

"Let's not waste anymore, Mom." Patricia nodded and stood. Yes, she was a formidable woman, but she now realized that she had also been a foolish one. And she vowed to herself that she would be different. She didn't have the perfect family that she always imagined, and two large pieces of it would always be missing, but she promised herself that she would enjoy every moment that she could with the family that she did have. This was a new beginning for her and her family and she was going to make it count.


	29. Good Old American Guest

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: And I'm back. Here's a little more of Lucy and her newest family. Also, I passed 200 reviews. That makes me so happy. I'm sorry that I don't always reply, but each one is special. Enjoy.

Chapter 28: Good Old American Guest

August 12, 2006 Annapolis, Maryland

Rob opened a bottle of cream soda and handed it to Booth, before opening his own drink and taking a swig. "Ah, now that's the stuff. Sorry, I don't have any beer. I don't drink when Cat can't."

Booth shrugged. "Not a problem, it's been a long time since I had one of these. Brings me back."

"You sure? I know Mother's claimed the rest of the gin, but I've got some of the stronger stuff somewhere."

Booth took a long pull of his soda, "No, this is good, really." He relaxed further into the chair that he had claimed twenty minutes ago. "It's a nice night. I haven't had a chance to stretch out and relax in ages."

Rob leaned back in his own chair. "I know what you mean. I've been running around all summer and with the baby coming, I felt like I haven't even slowed down these past couple of months."

The two men sat in silence for several minutes, just enjoying the few moments of peace. The children had been camped out in the living room watching a movie, slowly drifting off to sleep one by one. The women had congregated in the kitchen, and Booth had to keep resisting the urge to go in and check on Brennan. He couldn't imagine that she would be comfortable sitting at the table and gossiping, but he was sure that she could hold her own. Booth took another drink from his soda and looked out at the slowly setting sun.

It was Rob who broke the silence, "So what's the deal with 'Bones?' Kind of a strange nickname."

Booth sat up a bit in his chair, "It's kind of a long story." He chuckled a bit. "Actually it's not. Temperance works with bones, her name's a mouthful, and it used to bug the crap out of her, so I kept using it. Now, it's just the status quo."

Rob wrinkled his nose, "Still, it's not the most flattering of names."

"We get some strange looks sometimes, but it's us."

Rob swung his legs over the chair and faced Booth, this was the opening that he had been waiting for. "And what exactly defines 'us?'"

Booth groaned, "We're partners, friends, great friends."

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to pry, it just seems like there is something going on between the two of you."

"Trust me. Everyone has an opinion; her best friend, her brother, federal prosecutors, Lucy. You aren't the first one."

Rob nodded, "I can see that. Look... it's just... Tom... you know... he pined after her too."

Booth paused to take another hit from his bottle. "I'm not pining."

"Uh huh, and you just begged to come and meet the family that abandoned your partner, force you to participate in awkward conversations with virtual strangers, and receive icy glares from a heard-headed society woman."

"Well, when you put it that way. You know I wasn't feeling awkward until just this moment." Rob chuckled as Booth finally polished off his cream soda. "I was actually surprised that you were all so warm and welcoming. In your mind, I've got to be the guy replacing your brother. It's got to be weird for you too."

Rob shrugged, "My brother's been gone a long time. Honestly, once I got over my shock about Lucy, I was just excited. I knew I'd never see him again, but once I knew that out there, there was a piece of him that survived, it gave me hope. And meeting Lucy, seeing her smile, I can't describe it."

Rob paused to sip at his soda. "I'm an excellent judge of character, I can tell that you're a good man. If my brother can't be around, I'm glad that there is someone like you looking out for my niece. And I'm glad that you're there for Tempe too. My brother knew that she was special, I'm happy that other people can see it too." Booth met Rob's gaze, as if testing the sincerity of the man's words. Rob continued to hold the gaze, unblinking. Suddenly, the man smiled. "Well, I'm empty, want another cold one?"

Booth smiled, "Why not? I live on the edge."

Two minutes later, Rob returned from the house and handed Booth another bottle. Rob gestured behind him. "Look what the cat dragged in. Or out, if we are being technical."

Booth nodded at the girl, "Hey, Squirt. I thought you were watching a movie."

She shrugged, "It's over, and all the other kids are asleep. I was in the kitchen, but I thought it would be nice out here."

Lucy stood next to Booth's chair, and he slid over slowly, allowing the girl to fit into the empty space. "What's your mom up to?"

"Talking about the cave paintings in Lascaux with Aunt Sophie. It was really interesting until they started talking about some fungus that has infested the cave. Still interesting, but I hear enough about slime and mold when I hang out with Hodgins. Uncle Rob came in just as I was learning some very colorful new French words."

Rob let out a bark of a laugh, "I figured it was a good time to bring her outside. I think her vocabulary is already impressive enough without exposing her to Sophie's salty language."

Lucy relaxed against Booth's side and stifled a yawn. Booth looked down at her. "You tired, Squirt?"

"No," Lucy lied. "Hey, Booth? Did you hear Aunt Eva invited Mom and me to come to France next summer? We are going to bring Aunt Angela, too. She loves Paris, and she and Aunt Sophie are going to get along famously. They are influenced by a lot of the same artists, and Aunt Angela has always wanted to show me the Louvre. We are even thinking of visiting Vienna or Prague, too, while we are out there."

Booth shook his head. "First Tokyo, now Paris. You want to know where I had been by the time I was your age?"

Lucy excitedly raised an eyebrow. "Where?"

"Pittsburgh."

Lucy scrunched her nose. "Well, I'm sure Pittsburgh is a nice place."

"Went to see my Pops and he took my brother and me to a Steelers game. One of the best days of my childhood."

Rob sat up in his chair, "You know, the Ravens are playing the Steelers in November. I can get tickets, my firm has a box. Booth, you should bring Lucy and your son. I'll bring the boys. Tempe can come too if she wants."

"It's not really a Bones kind of thing, but I'm in. Parker will go crazy, won't he Luce?"

Lucy nodded vigorously. "It'll be lots of fun. Thanks for inviting us."

The back door slid open, and a slim figured ventured out into the dark. Patricia walked slowly to the small group. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Robert stood and gave his chair to his mother, walking into his back yard to grab one of the other chairs that had moved throughout the course of the day. "Enjoying the night, Mother?"

"Yes, although, I'm far too rusty in my French to keep up with Sophie and Temperance. I thought I'd leave them to finish their conversation and that I'd see what is going out here."

Lucy looked up from her position snuggled into next to Booth. "Sorry about that. Once Mom gets going in another language it is hard to get her to stop. She consults with a forensic anthropologist in Montreal and she'll speak French for a week."

"How many languages does your mother speak?"

Lucy counted on her fingers as she went through them in her mind. "English, French, Spanish, German, conversational Japanese, a bit of Mandarin, enough to get by in Russian and various African dialects, oh she's good with Latin, but no one really speaks that anymore."

Rob chuckled, "That's it?"

Lucy's eyes lit up, "Oh, I almost forgot. She can say skull in almost every language."

At that comment even Patricia laughed. "Your mother is very talented."

Lucy responded seriously, "She is the best in the world at what she does."

Patricia sobered, "Yes, I can see that. Robbie, Eva and Catalina are putting the boys to bed."

Rob stood from his recently commandeered chair and finished the last of his cream soda. "Well, that's my cue. Cat can't lift the boys, and Eva shouldn't have to deal with all five of them. You guys stay out here, enjoy the night."

Patricia chewed lightly on her lip while berating herself in her mind. She didn't back down from anything, she shouldn't be intimidated by one little girl and a rather affable special agent. She had to say something to break the silence. "So, Lucy, what do you think of your cousins?"

"They're great! I can already tell Andre and Jean-Paul apart and we are going to Skype once they are back home. The time difference will be a little tricky, but we can manage. And I can't wait to meet Alex. I've never held a baby before, but Aunt Cat says that she would trust me. And Brady is really cute. He tried to share his Popsicle with me earlier, it was sweet. Tommy likes science, so I talked about ideas for his science fair this year. And I had fun playing soccer with Cole earlier. He's pretty good. He and Parker would get along really well. That's Booth's son. He's the closest thing that I have to a little brother." Booth swallowed the sudden lump in his throat and craned his neck at the older woman.

Patricia continued to sit in silence. Lucy had somehow bonded quickly with each of her cousins. She had talked art with Sophie, and architecture with Eva, babies with Catalina, even attempted sports with Rob. It was as if the entire family had always known her and it was Patricia that was the stranger. Patricia couldn't also help but notice that the girl had quickly adopted calling the adults aunt and uncle, but Lucy still referred to Patricia as Mrs. Andrews. Patricia had made an effort, she really had, but it seemed that she was the one person who couldn't crack Lucy's shell.

She finally spoke, "Yes, they are darling boys. They must really like having a girl to play with."

"I suppose. It was really nice just to have lots of people to play with. When I was little, Mom and I, we didn't really have anybody but Aunt Angela. But it's different now. I really like having a family, and now I've got three of them."

"Three?"

"Yes, my lab family, my Mom's family, and this family. It's nice to belong."

Patricia stared out into the distance as Booth held the girl just a bit tighter. The woman finally spoke after a few moments of awkward silence. "Yes, it is."

Booth silently nudged the girl towards her grandmother, and Lucy took the hint. Patricia let out a gasp as she caught the weight of the girl. "I love you, Grandma Pat. I know that we just met each other and that we didn't get to talk much, but I love you. I always wanted a grandmother, and now I've got one."

There was no other response that Patricia could make, but "I love you too."

The back door glided open, flooding the darkened backyard with light. Brennan's voice called out. "Booth, Lucy. It's getting late, we really should get going."

The group stood from their chairs and made their way toward the house. Patricia was surprised by a small hand reaching for and holding her own. Patricia was reminded of her youngest son. He used to like to hold her hand, too. Patricia wiped a lone tear from her cheek and squeezed Lucy's hand.

Good-byes were quietly made as the children were in bed upstairs. Temperance received hugs from Eva, Sophie, and Cat. She felt awkward, but an encouraging nod from Booth kept her from protesting. Rob warmly shook hands and wrapped Lucy in a bear hug, promising to keep her updated about the baby and other family events. Lucy made her rounds, hugging her aunts in succession as they promised to keep in touch.

Finally, Lucy reached her grandmother. She hesitated slightly, and Brennan looked a bit worried at the interaction between the two. Booth was behind her in an instant and squeezed her shoulder. He whispered in her ear for her not to worry and Brennan nodded as Lucy and her grandmother embraced. Brennan breathed a sigh of relief as the two hugged. Brennan couldn't catch what words were exchanged, but both were smiling when Lucy was released and came to join her mother.

The group made their way to the door, calling out final good-byes and promises. Lucy seemed to fall asleep the moment that she was in the car, leaning against the window and using her sweater as a pillow. Brennan and Booth were quiet as Brennan started the car and headed toward DC.

It was Brennan who spoke first, "Thanks again for coming, Booth. It meant a lot to me and Lucy."

"It's what partners do. I had fun. Rob invited Lucy, Parker and I to a Ravens game in November."

"Hockey?"

"Football. I think it will be fun."

"I'm sure it will be, you enjoy sporting events and you seem to get along well with Rob."

"He's a good guy, Bones. It will be good for Lucy to have him in her life. You know, positive male role model and all."

The car stopped at a red light and Brennan stared at Booth. "She already has a positive male role model in her life." She smiled her crooked smile and Booth couldn't help himself. He leaned forward, intending to kiss the smile off of her face, but the light turned green and the moment passed as Brennan focused again on the road.

Booth leaned into his seat's head rest and closed his eyes. It had been a rather good day.


	30. This Town

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: I'm a bad, bad fanfic author. I'm sorry. I've been a little less than motivated these days. I've been staring at this chapter for two weeks trying to get it written. We are about to enter season 2, and I'm trying to work out how much of the established canon that I am going to write in. Any comments would be very helpful to that end. Anyway, enjoy this chapter, I'll try to be better.

Chapter 29: This Town

August 24, 2006 The Jeffersonian Institution

Booth walked into the Jeffersonian, feeling a bit lost. There was no crime scene to investigate, no murder to solve. Just paperwork to drop off and colleagues to say hello to. Brennan's office light was out, and Booth swallowed a lump in his throat. Brennan was in Darfur for another five days, and despite assurances that she would be traveling with guards and that she herself was armed, he worried about her. He couldn't help it.

The platform was quiet as he looked around for signs of life. Angela would be able to tell him if Brennan had checked in on her satellite phone like she had promised. But the artist wasn't around as far as Booth could see.

The first person that he saw in the lab happened to be holding a large cardboard box, a box that the woman dropped in favor of grabbing the agent in a fierce hug.

Booth grinned. "Camille, what are you doing here?"

"I got the job."

"You got the job?"

A Cheshire Cat grin spread across Cam's face. "I got the job."

Booth swooped in for another hug, pulling Cam off of her feet. "Well, welcome home."

"Why, thank you, Seeley." Booth bit back his usual retort as Cam continued to speak. "It's not quite home yet."

"Don't worry, it will be. I spend more time here than in my own apartment. And I know your work ethic, I hope you've got a comfy couch in your office."

Cam bent over to pick up her box, which Booth quickly took out of her hands. Shaking her head, Cam led the way to her office and held open the door for the agent. "Maybe we'll change that whole work ethic thing. We can start with you taking me out to dinner."

Booth set the box on the desk and escorted Cam out of her still unpacked office, "Sounds great. You still have a soft spot for crab rangoon?"

Cam smiled, "You know it. And while we're at it, you can give me the low down on the lab. Anything change in a year?"

"Not really. We still solve crimes. We still..." He was forced back a step as he caught the impact of a small girl.

"FBI Guy, I didn't think you were coming today! I missed you. Where have you been?"

Booth smiled at the girl, while avoiding a curious gaze from Cam. "Yeah, sorry about that. With your mom out of the country, I haven't gotten any cases that require consultation. I was just dropping off some paperwork, and I ran into Cam here. You remember Dr. Saroyan, right? She's the new head of the Forensics Department."

Lucy eyed the woman carefully, and felt a tinge of jealousy. Clearly, the adults were old friends. But she forced a smile onto her face as she remembered that this woman had helped the team when she had been kidnapped over a year ago. Although they hadn't had a chance to bond, the woman was nice. And pretty. Lucy swallowed quickly and smiled, "You were at my birthday party. You had three of the lava cakes."

Cam, for her part, didn't even blush. The lava cakes had been delicious, she was in fact looking forward to several more of them now that she was back in DC permanently. "Hello, Lucy. It's nice to see you again. What are you doing at the lab?"

"I'm always here. I'm staying with Aunt Ange while Mom's in Africa. She's been working on reconstructions of a temple for a new exhibit since there haven't been any murders to solve in a few weeks. She's just finishing up her meeting and then we are going to grab dinner. Booth, you want to join us? I haven't seen you in forever."

Cam was stuck on the fact that Lucy claimed that she was always in the lab, while Booth hedged about his dinner plans. "Ehh, sorry Squirt, I kind of already made plans with Cam."

Lucy wormed her way out of Booth's grasp and stepped back. She sulked as she spoke, "Oh. OK, then. I'm going to go wait for Aunt Angela in her office. Have a good dinner. I'll see you around, I guess. Good-bye Dr. Saroyan. Welcome to the lab."

Booth frowned after Lucy as she shuffled off to Angela's office. He was used to spending time with the girl, and they hadn't seen each other in over a week. He missed her, and her mother. Cam shook her head again, "Good to know that guilt still works on you. Honestly, Seeley. We can reschedule. I'm supposed to meet Felicia anyway."

"You don't even like your sister."

"Exactly why I was hoping to make other plans for tonight."

A light bulb went off in Booth's head. "We can make it a group thing. Let's all go out. You're going to be working with these people, and you didn't really get to hang out much the last time that you were here. I'm sure that Hodgins is still floating around somewhere. And I bet Zack is here, although we may want to forget to bring him along."

"I am the boss, sure they will want to fraternize with me?"

"Why not? They know you, they know your skills. But Cam, there's something you gotta know. Bones is the boss. She's the one in charge here."

Cam crossed her arms and stared at the man. "Well, we'll see about that. Let's just start with dinner and go from there. If we're going to be a team, then I'm the QB. I'm calling the plays, and I say it's dinner time. Let's get out of here."

Booth slung an arm around Cam's shoulder, "God, it's going to be nice to be able to use a sports reference around here." Booth then quickly went in search of the team, and built enthusiasm in a still sulking Lucy for the outing. She perked up when Booth extended the dinner invitation, but couldn't hide her frown when Booth mentioned that everyone else including Dr. Saroyan would be joining them.

The whole team minus Brennan did manage to rustle up some grub. Cam and Zack spent time talking about equipment upgrades that would be necessary to keep them at the top of the field, while Hodgins and Angela did their typical flirting. Booth tried to cheer up Lucy, but she seemed to be missing her mother, confused about Cam's arrival and welcome, and still jealous of the easy friendship between Cam and Booth. It was a slightly awkward dinner on Booth's part. Everyone seemed to be getting along well, but they were all aware of who exactly was missing, and how the dynamic would shift when they were all together again.

As Lucy started making plans for visits to the office after school began the next week, Cam refrained from asking the others about how much time Lucy actually spent at the lab. But she was sure that a discussion would be forthcoming. Children and forensics did not mix.

Dinner ended with the adults pitching in appropriate amounts of cash and Lucy hugging Booth extra tight, and holding onto him for much longer than he was accustomed to. Her eyes were a bit misty as she addressed him. "FBI Guy, will you still come by when Mom gets home?"

Once again, Booth was on the receiving end of interested glances from the women folk. He ignored them and focused on the girl. "Squirt, I'm not going anywhere. Your mom will be home in a few days and everything will be back to normal. We'll bring paperwork back to your place and hang out with Parker, and do all the things we always do."

She still didn't look sure and Booth ruffled her hair, "Come on, don't you trust me?"

She narrowed her eyes and scrunched her face in mock frustration, and Booth grinned; she would be fine. "Maybe I can come with you guys to pick up Bones from the airport. We'll give her a big homecoming, sound good?"

"Yeah, sounds good." Lucy gave him a true smile and Angela led Lucy away, calling goodnight and promising to text Booth plans for Operation Homecoming.

Cam and Booth were left standing alone and she just shook her head at him. "Seeley Booth, what have I gotten myself into?"

"Why whatever are you talking about, Camille?"

"Between Angela and Hodgins, and you and Dr. Brennan, and Lucy, I'll be running a high school, not a laboratory."

"We are professional." Cam gave Booth a pointed look and he shrugged, "When we need to be. We're a family. A little dysfunctional, but we get the job done."

Cam sighed. "And I'm going to have to have a talk with Dr. Brennan. We'll have to make alternate arrangements for after-school care for Lucy. She cannot run amok in the lab."

Booth looked at Cam in shock. "She doesn't run amok. She has rules and boundaries. No platform during an active case, knock before entering a room if there is a meeting going on, headphones on if we think that she is going to overhear something that she shouldn't."

Cam sighed, "Booth. I get that you like the girl, and have something going on with her mother, but..."

"There is nothing going on with me and Bones." Cam rolled her eyes.

"Booth, I respect that she is Dr. Brennan's daughter, and that she is bright and respectful, but I can't have her compromising a case. You've been very lucky so far, but I'm not going to let luck be a factor in the equation anymore. I'm not letting a guilty man go free because someone finds out that a ten year-old tampered with evidence."

Booth heard his voice rise, and he struggled to control it. "She's eleven."

"I'm trying to establish order and protocol here. I've been hired to be in charge of the Forensics Department, and I am going to be in charge. It would help if you could back me up on this."

"Bones is not going to like it. I already told you, she's the boss around here. You're going to need to be on her side if you want to make any impact at the lab."

Cam looked at him in disbelief. "It sounds like you don't even want me here."

Booth instantly softened his voice, his frustration draining out of him. "Of course I want you here. You are one of my oldest friends, and you'll be amazing here, I'm just trying to help you out. I just don't want you to get on anybody's bad side before you've even started. And Lucy is a part of this lab. You won't even notice her around."

Cam rolled her eyes and looped an arm through his, "I highly doubt that, but we'll see how it goes. Come on, Seeley, let's go get me unpacked. I've got a lot of work ahead of me apparently."

Booth patted her arm and started strolling with her back towards the lab. "Don't call me, Seeley."

"There's the Booth I remember."

"Welcome home, Camille, welcome home."


	31. Waiting For A Southern Train

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: So, I've been working crazy hours at work, with nothing on a schedule. It's made finding time to write very difficult. So I'm sorry for the delay, and I apologize for any panic attacks caused by the arrival of Cam. How little faith you have.

And I'm late to the bandwagon, but I've joined the world of Twitter. I'm Nerdygerl there as well, so perhaps I will see you there.

Chapter 30: Waiting For A Southern Train

August 30, 2006

Booth finished his pacing, and set himself in an uncomfortable chair. Weather had delayed Brennan's flight by a day and he had been waiting rather impatiently at the baggage claim for almost three hours for her last connection to land. When she finally emerged from the concourse, his heart skipped a beat. There was no denying that he had missed her. She looked beautiful; she was tan and her hair was streaked with a slightly lighter color from the harsh sun in another part of the world. Brennan let out a soft "oof" as Booth wrapped her in a tight hug.

Brennan arched an eyebrow, "What was that for?"

"I missed you, Bones. It's been almost three weeks since I've seen your smiling face." She couldn't help but allow the corners of her mouth to turn up. "See, there it is. I missed that."

Brennan shook her head and adjusted the bag on her shoulder and looked behind Booth's broad shoulders, expecting her daughter to be waiting her turn for a welcome home greeting. Truth be told, she had also been expecting Angela. The two girls had always been at the airport to pick her up and she had to admit that after several rough weeks, all she wanted to do was hug her daughter, grab a late dinner, take a long bath, and sleep. "Booth? Where's Lucy?"

"Well, she wanted to be here, but she's with Angela. We have a case. I got the call a couple of hours ago, and there is no time to waste. I know that you've been on a plane for..."

"That's my bag." Brennan cut him off as she grabbed a rather small suitcase off of the carousel. It was soon followed by a large kit filled with equipment and likely a souvenir or two destined to be displayed in her office and make him a bit queasy at the sight. Booth took the kit out of her hands and grabbed the suitcase with his other hand. "Chop, chop, Bones. We've gotta go. It's all hands on deck. And we're running late." Still, Booth paused, set the suitcase down and tossed Brennan his phone. "Give Squirt a call, tell her that you've arrived safely and that you'll see her in the morning."

"The morning?" She had slept on the plane, but she was still exhausted. Darfur and a good night's sleep did not go hand-in-hand.

"It's gonna be a late night." Booth once again picked up the suitcase and rushed out of the terminal. Brennan had no choice but to follow him, hastily dialing the phone in order to briefly hear her daughter's voice.

* * *

Several hours later, Brennan's tan was covered in soot and her sun-kissed hair smelled of smoke. She was sitting in Booth's passenger seat fuming. She had never given Goodman final approval over the candidates applying to be head of the department, but it seemed that he had gone over her head and made the hire. Dr. Saroyan was clearly capable, and everyone at the scene had seemed to respect and like her, but something about her rubbed Brennan the wrong way. Of course, Cam had helped with the Miller case and had been pleasant enough at Lucy's birthday party, but that didn't mean that she had the right to take over the scene and apparently the lab as well.

It didn't help that Brennan had noticed the easy friendship between Booth and Cam. Angela would have called the emotion in Brennan jealousy, and Brennan would have vehemently denied it. But maybe a small part of her was in fact jealous. Booth was her partner, and she wasn't sure how Booth's past would re-emerge in the present.

Booth slid into the driver's seat and started the SUV. "You hungry, Bones?"

Brennan shook her head. "Just tired. Will you take me home?"

"Sure thing, a shower and a nap coming right up." Brennan leaned back against the head rest and closed her eyes. Booth stayed quiet, wanting to let her rest after her long trip and the start of what was sure to be a long case. There was a lot of change going on in her life, and now there were changes at the lab, which she clearly wasn't a fan of. She needed time to process and rest and he was going to give it to her.

He was surprised when a half-hour outside of DC she spoke. "Do you like Dr. Saroyan more than you like me?"

"What do you mean?" Booth's grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"I mean that she seems to be a person that other people like. I can be very abrasive, I know that, but does that mean that people like her more? Do you like her more? Clearly, Dr. Goodman did if he gave her the job over me."

Booth took a moment to gather his thoughts. "OK, yeah, Cam is more personable than you, and she likes to get to know people. It doesn't mean that people like her better. It's just a cop thing."

"A cop thing?"

"Yeah, you are nice to people, you get someone to like you, they do you favors. They bring you coffee, let you bump ahead in the line, have your back when you need it."

Brennan lifted her head from the back of the seat. "But, you bring me coffee."

"That's because I like you, Bones. And I get you. You are direct and I respect that. Cam will too, just give her a chance. She'll have your back."

Brennan turned to look out the window. "If you say so."

"You know, you two have met before."

Brennan nodded. "Yes, last year."

"No, like three years ago at a decapitation conference. Cam mentioned it to me once. Ring any bells?"

"I remember the conference."

"But not her."

Brennan just shrugged. "I meet many people at any conference. You can't expect me to remember them all. And I still think that she was hitting on you at the crime scene."

"Why Dr. Brennan, are you jealous?"

Brennan's "no" was a bit too hurried, and Booth chuckled a bit as he merged into the exit lane. Booth wisely stayed silent for the rest of the trip home. Brennan's eyes closed again and she fell into a deep sleep.

Booth pulled in front of her building and was out of the door immediately to grab her travel items from the trunk. The slamming of the trunk woke the woman in the front seat, and she helped herself out of SUV. She grabbed her messenger bag out of Booth's hand and allowed him to take the other luggage and lead the way into her apartment. They rode the elevator in silence, both exhausted from the crime scene.

At the click of the lock, Lucy was awakened from her perch on the couch and was in her mother's arm. Angela had also stretched on the couch and opened her eyes.

"Welcome home, Bren."

"Thank you, Angela."

Angela smiled and yawned. "OK, time to get home. From the looks of the two of you, I'm going to be stuck in the lab for days, so might as well enjoy my home while I can. Good to see you, Booth. I'm sure that I'll see you in a few hours. Bye, Luce." Without another word, Angela grabbed her purse and exited the apartment.

Booth deposited Brennan's bags in the hallway and eyed Lucy, who was hiding yawns while grilling her mother about the trip. Knowing Brennan's utter exhaustion, Booth stepped in. "OK, Squirt. Off to bed. Let your mom sleep. You'll have plenty of time to talk later."

Lucy frowned. "OK, fine, but I don't have to like it."

Booth smirked, "I wouldn't expect you to."

"Night, FBI Guy. Night, Mom. I love you."

Brennan looked at her offspring with fondness. "I love you too. Sleep well. We'll talk tomorrow."

Lucy skipped off to bed, and Brennan and Booth stood motionless and stared at each other. Booth took a step towards his partner. "We both need showers and sleep. It's going to be a long couple of days."

"Yes, I concur. Thank you for picking me up at the airport and the ride home."

"Yeah, well, there was that whole train wreck in between, so it was the least I could do." Booth stepped forward and brushed a smudge of dirt off of Brennan's cheek. "And for the record, I like you a whole lot. Cam and I are friends, but you, Bones. You are my partner. Nothing trumps that. So just give Cam a chance, please. For me."

"Yes, I'll try."

"That's all I'm asking."

"Can I go shower now?"

Booth stepped away from his partner. "Yeah, of course. I'll see you at the morning briefing. 10AM, I'll bring the coffee."

Brennan nodded and led Booth to the door and escorted him out of the apartment. Brennan took a shower, enjoying the hot water and her favorite body wash, and was soon in bed. But despite her exhaustion and the comfort of her own bed, it took Brennan a long time to slip again into dreamland.

* * *

Lucy let herself into the Ookey room and sighed. Zack and Hodgins were pouring over data and paused in their discussion to look at the girl.

Hodgins spoke first. "Hey, Lucy. What are you doing in here?"

"Hiding from Dr. Saroyan. She doesn't like me being at the lab. She and Mom are already fighting about it, and Booth isn't here to stop them."

Hodgins grunted, "Yeah, she isn't a huge fan of mine either. She isn't used to the way things work around here yet."

"Well, you did call her a wanktard. What even is that?"

Hodgins looked a bit sheepish as he turned back to the table. "Sorry, kiddo. I've gotta get back to work here."

"What are you working on?"

Zack looked up again from his data. "We are attempting to create an experiment where we can determine how fast a human body would deteriorate in a car fire."

Hodgins and Lucy stared at the young man, "Dude, she's a kid. Don't scar her."

Lucy crinkled her nose. "Whatever, isn't this place full of replica bones. Can't you use those?"

Zack and Hodgins made eye contact, and Zack's eyes lit up, "Yes, that could work. But we also need to replicate flesh."

Lucy just shrugged, "No one ever orders the SPAM from the cafeteria. I'm sure they could spare a few tubs. Honestly, you call yourselves scientists." And with that she skipped out of the office, wondering if Cam and her mother had finished their argument yet. The men didn't even notice her exit, lost in their experimental details.

Lucy found her mother at the same time Booth did. The argument was clearly not over as Brennan and Cam were still trying to out-logic each other on whether or not Lucy's presence was appropriate in the lab. Booth placed two fingers in his mouth and blew a shrill whistle that startled all three women.

"OK, enough of this. We have a case to solve, a lawyer to appease, and a Senator's death to explain. We don't have time for arguments. Lucy, no platform, no questions, no details, and if we tell you to leave a room, you leave a room. Cam, give it a week. If for any legitimate reason, Lucy compromises an investigation, you have the right to prohibit her from the lab. We can re-evaluate the decision later. Let's move on. Agreed?"

There was a simultaneous and dejected, "Agreed," from all parties, and Lucy quietly let herself into her mother's office.

Booth's eyes followed the girls and then turned to the women of the lab. Clearly, they weren't one big happy family. They'd work on it. "OK, Squints. What have you got?"


	32. Even Cowgirls Get The Blues

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: I'm a terrible excuse for a fanfic author. I've been facing some pretty major writer's block, so any encouragement would be greatly appreciated. Also, any familiar dialogue is borrowed from The Titan on the Tracks, which I absolutely did not write. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 31: Even Cowgirls Get The Blues

August 30, 2006

Booth looked up from his burger in order to stare at his partner, "Spam?"

Brennan nodded and stole a french fry. "There were Mason jars in the backseat, intended to break when the train hit."

Booth shook his head and returned to his burger, "And they got this with Spam?"

Brennan agreed, a hint of annoyance and superiority in her tone. "Yeah, Spam."

"Mmhmm. And Cam, she got all…bent out of shape." Brennan nodded again and Booth raised an eyebrow, "Where on Earth would they have even come up with the idea to use Spam? It's just so random."

Lucy had sat silently in her seat, trying not to draw attention to herself. She knew that the second that the adults realized that they were talking about the case in front of her they would clam up. At the latest mention of the spiced ham concoction, Lucy merely blew bubbles in her chocolate milk. She tuned out her mother and Booth as they discussed meat products, its failings with convincing a jury, and the shifting dynamics in the lab.

Lucy didn't return to the conversation until she heard the ringing of Booth's phone. She picked up a cooling fry, and looked to Booth as he answered the call.

"Booth."

Brennan was clearly not done with her half of the conversation and continued to talk over Booth's phone companion. "You know, Angela says that you and Cam had a sexual relationship. Does that affect your view of her?"

"Patch me through." Booth glared at Brennan, shifting his eyes to the girl who returned to pretending to be interested in her milk. He covered the mouthpiece of his phone with his hand, as his eyes continued to dart between mother and child. "Wildly out of line, just so you know." He then turned his full attention to the caller, listening for a moment before speaking. "When?"

Booth finished his end of the conversation while Brennan continued to mutter under her breath, oblivious to the worried expression that now covered his handsome features. Booth closed his phone and returned it to his pocket. Brennan stared him down, now even she could see that his mood had shifted, "What?"

Booth took one last glance at Lucy and lowered his voice, "The man who was charged with murdering your mother..."

Brennan nodded, "The pig farmer. Vince McVicar."

"He was killed. Today, at Alexandria Federal Holding Facility."

There was a clink of glass and a gasp as Lucy knocked over her milk, the dregs of her drink spreading on the table. Without thinking, Booth tossed a few napkins in her direction and cursed himself for bringing it up in front of the girl. Lucy mopped up her spill and then reached for her mother's hand. Brennan squeezed it in response and then focused on her partner, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I don't…he was the only connection to my father. His trial was going to be our…" Brennan's voice shook and she paused for a steadying breath, "How are we ever going to find out what really happened?"

Booth sighed and added his own hand to the pile on the table. Brennan quickly withdrew hers at the contact. Booth frowned. "I don't know, Bones. I don't know."

A jovial waitress appeared out of nowhere, "Hey, y'all ready for some dessert? We've got a strawberry-rhubarb on special." She winked at Booth, his passion for pie was already well-known amongst the staff.

Booth shook his head, "Just the check, please."

A few minutes later, a rather dejected group left the diner. It was Booth who broke the silence first. "Bones, want me to drive you guys home? You should get some sleep. I'll cover with Cam."

Brennan looked over at her partner, "No, thank you. Angela is finishing her reconstruction, I need to go back to the lab. And I don't need you any favors from you or Cam."

Booth put his hands up in surrender. "Fine, fine. Let's go see Angela. Come on, Squirt." Booth hooked a thumb towards himself, silently offering the girl a piggy-back ride. She agreed with barely concealed enthusiasm and hopped up on his back. The pressure caused a groan from Booth and a suspicious look from Brennan as she observed his gait with Lucy's weight added to his body. The walk back to the Jeffersonian was silent, but Booth couldn't help noticing that Brennan walked beside him, rather closer than usual.

* * *

Hours later, Lucy was sent home with Angela as Booth and Brennan went to stake-out a known drug dealer. Booth had tried once again to convince Brennan to go home, but she refused, and Booth found himself exhausted and sitting next to an irritable partner on a hot August night.

Brennan sat up from her reclined position, "You know, if drugs were legalized, they could be dispensed from a clean, safe, controlled outlets by trained personnel. Not in alleyways by criminals."

Booth barely kept himself from rolling his eyes, "Yeah, right."

Brennan noticed movement in the alley, thankfully distracting her from her latest attempt at conversation. "Hey, that's our guy!"

She went to open her door, but Booth stopped her, "Oh, no, no, shh. What we gotta do is we got to wait until he deals. Catch him in the act."

Brennan looked out of Booth's window, and huffed, "We wait? For how long?"

Booth couldn't keep all of the frustration out of his voice, "However long it takes."

"Well what do we do while we wait?"

"This is a stake-out. We converse."

"Well, I tried to initiate conversation about the drug war, but…"

Booth sighed, "Oh God. Fine, you know what, let's talk about something we're not going to argue about. Been out to your mother's grave?"

Brennan looked at him in disbelief, she didn't really want to be reminded of McVicar's demise. But apparently, Booth wanted to discuss her feelings, and she knew that he would be successful. He never gave up on trying to make her express her long oppressed feelings. "Not since the funeral."

"Really?"

"Why would I?"

Booth gave her an incredulous glare. She was putting up a fight today. "You know, to connect. Let Lucy get to know her grandmother."

"She's dead."

Booth crossed his arms and continued to look out of the window. He was'nt in the mood for fighting back tonight. They were both way too on edge to talk about anything of consequence at the moment. "Fine. You know what? Forget it."

Brennan was a little shocked that Booth wasn't pressing her for information, and she was more than a little upset at the tone that her partner rarely used, especially directed at her. She remained quiet for a moment and then began to tap her finger on his shoulder. It was a habit that she had recently picked up. Usually, it sent a little thrill up his spine, but tonight he was cranky and he ignored the tingle.

Brennan tapped again, she surprised herself by actually wanting to talk about the issue at hand. "Excuse me? I'm curious. When you…talk to the headstone? What do you say?"

Booth uncrossed his arms and turned to his partner, if _she _was making an effort, then he could too. "It looks like I'm talking to the headstone, but what I'm really saying is…forget about where the words are aimed. What I say is that I remember them."

Brennan raised an eyebrow, still confused. "They can't hear you. Because they're dead."

"My mouth moves, words come out, but none seem to get across the drawbridge to the princess I know who waits within." Booth's focus was instantly pulled back to the drug-dealer who was now performing his job. "Oh, we're on."

They both exited the car, and hurried to the alley, but Brennan's focus wasn't entirely on the take-down, "What princess?"

Booth waved off her question, and took down his collar. His crankiness returned as he interrogated Eddie the drug dealer, but couldn't help being a little proud when Eddie asked where Booth had found Brennan. He definitely had found her in a "museum." He hazarded a look at his partner and she worried her lips, trying to keep the smile off of her face.

The tension between the partners eased slightly as they drove to the hospital to question a newly found Warren Lynch, but was ratcheted back up when they found out that they were never going to get any information out of him. Booth really, really hated this week, and Brennan wasn't much of a fan either.

In the wee hours of the morning, Booth finally dropped Brennan off at her apartment and urged her to get some sleep. Brennan rolled her eyes at the advice, but something in his expression told her that he was serious. She nodded gently and reached for his hand, squeezing it briefly before exiting his vehicle.

"Hey, Bones?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry about McVicar. We'll find your father. We really will. And we will find out what happened to Warren Lynch."

Brennan smiled slightly, "I know, Booth. We are very skilled at solving mysteries."

Booth sincerely returned her smile, suddenly feeling better about this wretched day. "That we are, Bones. That we are. I'll pick you up in the morning. And I'll bring the coffee."

"That isn't necess..."

Booth interrupted her. "Just accept it. I'll come bearing caffeine. Night, Bones." She shut her door gently, and Booth waved good night. When she was safely in her building, he rubbed his hand tiredly over his face and then slowly made his way home. Sleep took a long time to find him that night.

* * *

Booth wandered through the Jeffersonian, rubbing the back of his neck and in search of his partner. It had already been a long day, and it wasn't even half-way through yet. The unsolved elements of his current case and the thought of confronting McVicar's killer made him a bit nauseated. He was used to handling a lot of pressure, but something about all of the changes in his life was taking a toll on him.

It didn't help that he was still refereeing arguments between Cam and Brennan, something which did weigh on him heavily. Cam was a dear friend and she was pitted against his partner, a woman that he felt an intense loyalty for... amongst other things.

He was tired of the dissension in the lab. Cam needed to prove herself to Brennan in order to be fully accepted as part of the team, and lower the tension. Booth had willingly given Cam advice on how to win over Brennan, but he wasn't entirely sure how she would take it. It also didn't help that they were both strong women used to being in charge. And it really didn't help that Angela was back to her prying ways, interjecting her own thoughts at every opportunity.

Yes, Cam and Booth had a romantic past, but they were just friends now, really. They had both moved on in a variety of ways. Even with his inner turmoil, his stomach gave a little jump at Brennan's resistance to Cam. She was jealous, plain and simple, and even in his sour state, he could enjoy the part of the jealousy that was aimed in his direction.

"Booth, are you ready to go? We are going to miss our appointment if we don't leave now." Brennan's voice called to her partner, breaking him out of his reverie.

"Yeah, Bones. Let's get out of here." Brennan gazed at him with a curious expression, "What?"

"Are you feeling all right? You look a bit pale. Did you get much sleep last night?"

Booth slung an arm over his partners shoulder, the tension in his body and mind floating away at her concerned expression and soft tone. "I'm just fine. Thanks for asking." Maybe this week wasn't all bad.


	33. Muddy Waters

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Author's Note: Hey look, it's an update! Once again, familiar dialogue is borrowed from The Titan on the Tracks. This chapter goes out to Eire76 and breakfastmakesmeawesome, thanks for the kind words this week. Enjoy.

Chapter 32: Muddy Waters

August 31, 2006

Unmitigated. Disaster. Those were the two words that kept floating through Booth's head. He wanted to go back to July, right before Lucy's birthday, where he had spent a relaxing few days on a beach with some of the most important people in his life. A sunny beach where Max Keenan was a forgotten ghost. Now the man couldn't be ignored. He had disappeared for a decade and a half, and now he was walking in the shadows. Max Keenan was impossible to see, but Booth could hear the footfalls. It was driving him insane.

Booth turned over the engine of his SUV as Brennan shifted in her seat. Clearly, she wanted to talk, she just needed time to formulate her thoughts. Just as Booth was about to offer his words of comfort, Brennan spoke. "How am I going to tell Russ that our father ordered the death of another human being?"

Booth glanced at his partner, it was the truth. Booth had no personal doubt that Max Keenan had been involved in the death of McVicar. And as much as Brennan appreciated, even demanded the truth, Booth wasn't ready to give it to her unvarnished. "If he did that, and I'm not saying it happened that way, then your father took down the man who murdered his wife."

Brennan's forehead crinkled, "Good people don't have other people murdered. Good people don't even know how."

The woman had a point. But even for all of the wrong that Max Keenan had done, he loved his wife, and Booth felt that his partner could use a little reminder of that fact. "Well, your father buried your mother in a pair of new shoes in a cemetery. With her dolphin belt buckle that reminded her of you because you both loved dolphins."

"That does not make him a good man."

Damn her and her 'logic.' "People can be more than one thing. You know, someday we'll find him. That is if you still want to."

Brennan nodded, "I do."

"Okay. Silver lining." Booth breathed a small sigh of relief, put on his blinker and made his turn toward the Jeffersonian. They drove in only a slightly awkward silence the rest of the way back to her office.

* * *

Brennan took Lucy home early that night. She was exhausted, the pressures at work and in her personal life were getting to her. She loved her daughter and although she usually wasn't overly demonstrative, she and Lucy spent a significant portion of the evening sitting together on the couch, snuggling under blankets and reading together. Lucy fell asleep early, cuddled into her mother's side.

Brennan watched her daughter sleep, but felt herself tense. Observing the girl's peaceful slumber, she could understand how her father could want revenge over the loss of the love of his life. The harsh sentence that Hanson Miller had unsuccessfully tried to appeal wasn't enough punishment for the hurt that he had caused so many families. Brennan believed in justice, but in the dark of night, she could admit that maybe sometimes, justice wasn't enough. Lucy shifted in her sleep, and the small ruby of her dolphin necklace caught the light and glinted. Brennan's rather morbid thoughts were pushed away by a metaphorical light bulb blinking on in her head.

Tucking Lucy more securely under the blanket, Brennan rose from her spot and dug her cell phone out of her bag. She was soon dialing Booth's phone, which he groggily picked up. He gave a rather gruff, "What?" as his way of greeting.

"Hanson Miller should be under higher security in prison. If my father can take revenge on the man who killed my mother, I have no doubts that he would try and hurt the man who kidnapped his granddaughter."

Booth yawned, "Yeah, I kind of already took care of that. Is that why you called?"

"Yes. Oh, and Warren Lynch was in on it."

Instantly, Booth was more alert. "Where did that come from?"

"He had his own dolphin, that NC-lots of As, national championship ring?"

Booth nodded, unseen over the phone. "His own dolphin."

Brennan spoke quickly, her quiet voice becoming louder in her excitement. "All the rest of his jewelry was removed and placed on the dead man. His ten thousand dollar watch, his I.D. band from his wife, his two other rings…but not the championship ring."

"That's good, Bones." Booth yawned into the phone.

"The only reason they wouldn't rip it off his hands is 'cause..."

Booth's own light bulb flickered to life. "Cause Lynch was calling the shots. And I know exactly who was in on it. Thanks, Bones. I'll pick you up in the morning and we'll take this guy down."

"Take down who, Booth?" Brennan re-asked the question into the air, as he had already hung up.

"Mom?" A quiet voice called out into the room.

Brennan set her phone on the table and turned to her daughter. "Sorry, Lucy. I didn't mean to wake you. Let's get you into bed. I have to go with Booth to conduct an interview in the morning, I sense it will be another long day for all of us."

Lucy nodded and stretched, "Is this case almost done?"

"I hope so. It's been a difficult one. But Booth thinks that we have a lead."

"That's good."

Brennan smiled, "Yes, it is."

"Think Booth wants to have dinner with us tomorrow?"

"We can ask him in the morning."

"He'll say yes." Brennan nodded and led her daughter to her bedroom, where the girl was soon tucked into soft sheets. Brennan moved to turn off the lights in the room when Lucy's voice called out to her. "Yes, baby?"

"Will you stay here, just a little while? Until I fall asleep?"

Brennan smiled into the darkness and let herself into the other side of her daughter's bed. Soon, both women were in a deep and dreamless sleep.

* * *

The team shared a round of coffee and left-over breakfast pastries in the lounge of the lab, celebrating their success in closing the Warren Lynch case. The case was solid, as long as the lawyer went for the throat, and trusted the team. Booth silently wished that Caroline had been assigned the case, she may not like squints, but she loved the data that they provided.

Zack was eyeing the pastries, trying to decide if he was going to eat one or not, as he questioned Brennan. "So, how were you able to get a confession out of Mr. Turco?"

Brennan shrugged and helped herself to another sip of her coffee. "We lied."

Zack's eyebrows raised, "You what?"

"Well, we used the fact that it took two people to get the body into Lynch's jacket."

Booth coughed on a bite of his rather stale doughnut. "Bones, don't bring it up. I'm trying to eat here. The case is done, let's not mention bones popping out of sockets ever again." he gave a slight shiver as he tossed the rest of the pastry into the trashcan.

"Here, here." Angela interjected. "All right, folks. I am out of here. I am going to go home, pour myself a large glass of wine, and take a long bubble-bath. Seriously, I'll be a prune before I get out of there. Night all."

Hodgins was right behind her, following after her as she skipped out of the lounge. "Hey Angie, need a ride home? Or help filling up that tub?" He had disappeared down the stairs before Zack looked to his boss.

"Hodgins is also my ride."

Booth clasped the assistant on the shoulder. "You might want to catch up to him then, kid. If I were you, I'd try to get there before the bubble bath part." Cam laughed out loud as Brennan quirked an eyebrow at her partner. Sometimes, he was just so strange. Zack gulped and hurried after his chauffeur.

Booth stretched out his arms. "What do you say, Bones? Want to go pick up Squirt and grab some dinner?"

"Yes. She will be happy to hear that we've closed our case. Dr. Saroyan, I'd like to congratulate you on your success with your first case in an official capacity. You performed adequately."

Cam shared a confused look with Booth before turning back to her anthropologist. "Why, thank you, Dr. Brennan. That is very kind of you to say."

"It's the truth. Thank your for your support with Miss Supek." Brennan turned to leave the lounge, but before exiting turned back to her boss. "Dr. Saroyan, would you like to join us for dinner?" Booth looked over at Brennan in shock.

Cam's eyes widened and she looked to Booth for support. He just shrugged at first. He wasn't going to interfere between them. Not anymore. Oh, who was he kidding? "Come on, Camille. Join us. I'm starving." Cam stammered again. Booth clapped his hands together, "Chop, chop, Cam. Let's go." And before Cam could verbally accept the invitation, she was being ushered out of the lounge and off to dinner.

* * *

Booth stood next to his partner and her daughter, looking over a marble headstone. Lucy held her mother's hand tightly, unsure as to why she had let Booth persuade the Brennans to come to the cemetery. Lucy and Brennan each held a small bouquet in their free hands, but noticed that a large bunch of flowers had already been placed on the grave site recently.

The group stood silently for a few minutes, before Brennan spoke, "I never understood the idea of bringing flowers."

Booth exhaled and adjusted a crooked flower in Brennan's bouquet. "Just for once, Bones, do what people do. OK? See how it feels. That's it. I'm going to go stand over here, while you and Lucy talk to your Mom."

Brennan frowned, "I told you, I don't do that."

Lucy squeezed her mother's hand and took a brave step forward. "Hi, Grandma. I'm Lucy. Umm, you never met me, but I'm your granddaughter. I'm eleven and I love dolphins, just like you did, and I like to read, and I'm pretty good at karate. I'm real smart, just like my Mom, and I bet you'd be proud of us if you knew us." She quickly bent, and left her flowers beside the group already resting on the stone. "I guess that's it. Just wanted to say, even if I never met you, I love you. Thank you for your time."

Lucy took several tentative steps back, leaving her mother alone. A safe distance from the grave, she turned to Booth and whispered to him. "Did I do it right?"

Booth rested a soothing hand on her shoulder, "You did just fine, Squirt."

Brennan had taken her own step forward as Lucy had retreated and ran her hand across the headstone. Taking a deep breath, Brennan finally spoke, "Mom, it's me. Temperance. I have questions, but you can't answer them. No offense, but I don't think there's anything here of you but your bones, so…" Brennan muttered to herself, "Can't believe I'm doing this." She paused again to steady her quaking voice. "Is Dad a good man or…a bad man? He had someone killed. Had him murdered and…what's the truth? Do I…do I keep looking, or do I let it go like he asked? Who's he protecting? Himself? Or me and Russ? Lucy? I just want to know the truth."

Brennan stopped speaking to her mother and turned to her partner, frowning "Booth? I asked the questions and guess what? No answers."

Booth looked down and Lucy, shaking his head before turning back to Brennan, attempting to lighten the situation. "Well, maybe if you weren't standing right on top of her, took a step to the left, showed just a little respect. Sometimes it takes a while to get an answer, okay? Just leave the flowers."

Brennan followed instructions, receiving a small smile from her daughter. She straightened her back and went back to bickering with her partner. "I get answers from a lab, you get them from people. Nobody gets answers from a slab of stone."

Booth took Lucy's hand and stepped toward his partner. "Yeah, well I see an answer in the stone. See, you buried your mother as Christine Brennan, the woman that you knew as your mother and not by her real name, Ruth Keenan. That tells me who you are."

Brennan nodded absently as she stared at the ground, pulled a latex glove out of her pocket, then bent down and pulled a small object out of the grass. She turned the item by twisting it between her fingers.

Lucy squinted at the object. "What is it, Mom?"

Brennan held the item up to the light. "It's a dolphin." She pulled a small bag out of the same pocket that had held the glove and placed the silver dolphin inside. Lucy reached for the birthday necklace that coordinated with the item in the bag and worried it between her own fingers. Brennan handed the bag to the agent, "What does that tell you?"

Booth gave the dolphin his own perusal, turning the question back on his partner "What does it tell you?"

Brennan gave her usual blunt response. "My father was here."

"Because he loves your mother, grieves her loss, and he came here to talk to her." Booth poured the dolphin out of the bag and into his hand, warming the metal in his hand.

Brennan protested. "You're tainting evidence."

Booth's voice was soft as he responded. "It's not that kind of evidence, Bones. It's evidence of something else. Something that can't be tainted." He placed the dolphin in her hand and once again she held it up to the light.

"It's beautiful."

Booth breathed out a soft agreement, but he wasn't looking solely at the object. He was also examining the woman that held the silver sculpture. Lucy watched the scene play out, and the small hope that always burned slowly in her heart sparked into a slightly larger flame.


	34. Breaking Bread

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Chapter 33: Breaking Bread

September 13, 2006 The Royal Diner

Cam sat at the diner, twirling her french fries into garlic mayonnaise, loving the taste, but loathing the calories. The pathologist was running through Dylan Crane's case in her mind. She was glad that it was over, any case involving children was a difficult one, and this case had been an especially tragic one. Add that to the lingering tension between her and Brennan, and Cam was starting to wish that she had gone somewhere that offered a stiff drink as well as greasy comfort food.

"Can I join you?" A quiet voice broke Cam from her reverie.

A startled Cam looked into Lucy's bright blue eyes. "Yes, of course." Lucy slid into the seat and shifted from side to side, eyeing the food in front of her, but too polite to help herself. Cam pushed the plate toward the girl, "I wish you'd eat some of these fries. Save me from myself. They're really good with garlic mayonnaise."

Lucy smiled and began to help herself. "Thank you," she added politely.

"Where's your mother?"

"Outside, on the phone. FBI Guy had some questions, and I was cold and hungry. So I came inside and I saw you. I guess sitting with you is better than sitting alone. She could be a while."

Cam raised an eyebrow, "Well, thanks, I think."

Lucy helped herself to another fry. "You don't like me very much, do you?"

"Excuse me?"

"You don't like me being in the lab. I make you uncomfortable."

"Can I ask you a question?" Cam waited for Lucy to nod her agreement. "Why do you spend so much time there? Surely your mother can afford a nanny, or you could spend time in the Jeffersonian daycare, they do a lot of education enrichment."

Lucy shrugged. "I go there sometimes, when I'm really bored, or if Mom and Aunt Angela are really busy, and I've had nannies in the past. I think Mom likes having me around, I never had a dad or much family. And I think my mom likes knowing that I know that she is close by if I need her. And I love being in the lab. It's the coolest place in the world, even if I can't go on the platform." Lucy paused for a moment, eating another fry. "So, is that why you don't like me? Because I'm in the lab all of the time? I'm there a lot less now that school is starting to pick up. I have my karate and music lessons again, so I'll be around way less. Will that make you happier?"

Cam sighed and took a sip of her water, buying herself some time before answering. "I will say that I'm not used to having children in the lab, but I've seen that you are very well-behaved, and you haven't interfered with any investigations, so thank you for that."

"But I make you uncomfortable. You don't want me around."

Cam paused for another long moment. "Did Booth ever tell you about Michelle?"

"No, who's that?"

"She was my step-daughter, well almost. I was engaged to her father, but he was unfaithful to me, and I left him."

Lucy looked at Cam with pity. "And you left her too?"

"I moved away to New York, and I thought that her dad would marry someone else, and I didn't want to be in the way. I didn't want to interfere if she got a new stepmother. She's a little bit older than you are now. Seeing you, everyday, it reminds me of Michelle, and how I walked away from her dad and from her."

Lucy frowned, "So I make you sad?"

"You just remind of the choices I made, choices that I'm not always proud of. But to be honest, it is nice to see you around. You keep the lab from getting too serious, which I do enjoy, contrary to popular opinion. I see you around, you always have such a smile on her face. Seeing you happy, it makes me hope that my Michelle is happy too."

Lucy reached forward and patted one of Cam's hands. "I'm sure that she is happy. Maybe you could look her up, now that you are back in town, tell her what you told me. I bet she'd like to hear it."

Cam nodded, but turned her head away. "Maybe. And maybe, we could keep this little story between you and me."

"I'm very trustworthy." Lucy nodded seriously, and Cam nearly laughed at her gravitas. Lucy dipped another fry in mayonnaise and popped it in her mouth. "So, things aren't going so well with you and my mom either?"

Cam sighed, the girl's eyes were once again boring holes into Cam's soul. "I'm pretty sure she hates me. I'm sorry, was that too forward?"

"Not for a Brennan." Lucy giggled and swiped another fry. She sobered again and looked at Cam. "You hurt her feelings, you know. You implied that foster kids are drug addicts and trouble makers, and they end up pregnant with their lives ruined. I know my mom was young when she had me, but I don't think that I ruined her life."

"I'm positive that you are the best thing that has ever happened to her."

Lucy bobbed her head. "She doesn't like to talk about her past. I don't even know the truth of what she went through, but she's not a robot. She has feelings, and you hurt them. I just wanted you to know. I've got to protect her."

Cam nearly laughed out loud. Brennan was a woman who could take care of herself, who claimed that she was independent, but she seemed to have a lot of people who looked out for her. "Booth told me that she was in the system. I made assumptions that were wrong, and they won't happen again, and I will be sure to apologize to your mother. What she can do, it's nothing short of amazing. I'm not going to be the one who messes with a good thing. I am here to make the good thing better."

Lucy smiled again and flagged down a waitress, ordering some food and drinks for her and her mother. She and Cam sat for a few more moments in silence, Cam feeling a bit awkward. Booth had given her tips on how to work along with the team, but she was starting to realize that they were more than a team, they were a family. It was an odd family, but it was surprising how badly she wanted to be a part of it.

A shadow loomed over the table, and it was Brennan who spoke this time.

"You were right about the pipe."

Cam gave her own concession. "You were right about the rose."

Brennan squeezed into the booth next to her daughter, and helped herself to a fry. Lucy leaned against her mother's side.

A waitress brought over the ordered food with a wink and a smile. Lucy tucked into her dinner, suddenly starving, but Brennan ignored her food. She turned to her boss. "We have a problem."

Lucy looked up from her dinner, but started picking at it again, attempting to give the women some semblance of privacy. Cam noticed the subtle gesture and appreciated it. "Uh, huh. Do you see a solution?"

Brennan eyed her daughter quickly as well, and turned back to the pathologist. "It's not completely my fault. I was a foster child and apparently, Booth says that... Booth says that I have... Well, something about control issues and the weight of the world."

Cam smiled, "That sounds like Booth."

"I think he meant that if I'm going to share responsibility for these cases, I'm going to have to learn to stop controlling everything too. Does that make sense? Psychology's not... I really... I really hate psychology." Lucy covered a laugh with a cough and helped herself to a long gulp of chocolate milk.

Cam's lip twitched as she responded to the anthropologist. "Not everyones brain works as fast as yours. I have to mull sometimes. Are you familiar with that concept?"

Brennan stabbed at a tomato, "Yes. I just always thought it was a waste of time."

Cam and Lucy both laughed. Lucy dutifully returned to her meal, but her eyes sparkled. Cam recognized the twinkle as the same one that Brennan would get when she had a breakthrough on a case. It was endearing, really. "I'm in charge. But out of respect for you, I could extend... Did you ever play Monopoly?"

"Yes, I find it a frustrating game with many flaws."

"Anyway. Well, you know the 'Get out of jail free' card. Think of it as a free pass to defy me. No explanation needed. No recriminations. No repercussions."

Brennan mulled the idea as she picked at her lettuce. "Well, how many would I get?"

"One a week." Lucy rolled her eyes and jerked her thumb up, deciding that her mother would need a little more persuading.

Apparently her mother had the same idea. "Five per case."

Cam countered. "Three per week."

Brennan glanced again at her daughter, who gave her mother an encouraging nod. She reached out for Cam's hand and they shook amicably.

"Booth told you I was a foster kid, didn't he?" Lucy once again became preoccupied with her chocolate milk.

Cam's eyes flicked to the girl who skillfully avoided the eye contact. "Okay, yes. He did. But he did it with a good heart and I'd really appreciate it if you didn't let him know. Please."

"He's going to know that you told me the second he sees us together."

Cam chuckled, "It's true. He's awful like that."

"He reads people the way you read pathology reports or I read bones."

"Oh, God. I know. I hate him. Well, I don't really."

"I know. Me either." Brennan agreed.

Lucy finished her milk with a loud slurp. "I don't hate him either. Just so you know."


	35. The Gifts They Gave

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Author's Note: Well, The Man in Black is officially longer than If I Needed Someone, and it still has a way to go. So thank you to all of you who are along for the ride. Today's dialogue borrowed from The Blonde in the Game

Chapter 34: The Gifts They Gave

September 25, 2006 The Jeffersonian Institution

Booth slowly made his way up the stairs, favoring his still tender side. He paused at the top of the landing, watching his partner. She was was sitting alone on the couch, twirling a glass in her hands absently. Booth didn't quite know what to do, what to say to her.

His partner had killed a man today. She'd had no choice. She'd saved the life of an innocent girl, and she had saved his life. She had killed a man in order to save him, and the knot in Booth's stomach tightened. It wasn't supposed to work that way. She was the brains, he was the guns. Nevertheless, she'd had to defend and protect them, and it had come at a cost. He knew that she'd be struggling with the emotions involved in taking a life, even as she would try to rationalize that it had had to be done.

He took a tentative step towards his partner. "Vodka?"

Brennan chuckled a bit, and he was relieved to hear the quiet laugh. "It's water. But it's on the rocks."

Booth pulled over a chair, setting it directly in front of Brennan. He slung his jacket along the back, wincing slightly as his arm flexed. "You know, Bones, I'm not sure you grasp the basic theory on how to get drunk." He settled himself in the chair, reaching for her glass and setting it on the nearby coffee table. Booth then grabbed for her hands, holding one of hers in each of his own. "What you need to do is order a shot of hard liquor from a bartender named Shaky. And tell him to, uh, leave the bottle on the bar."

Brennan stared down at their clasped hands, a soft smile reaching her face. "I'm fine, Booth. I'm sitting here thinking about it, and … I'm fine."

Booth raised an eyebrow and let a playful smirk. "So what I'm getting from you here, Bones, is that you're fine." The smile that had graced Brennan's face slipped off as she let go of Booth's hands in order to pick up the photograph of a blonde, innocent girl.

Booth scooted his chair a little bit closer to her, their knees now brushing. Brennan took a deep breath as she held the picture gently. "He murdered Sarah. He was about to murder Helen." Booth reached out once again and placed a hand on her knee. This conversation was why Booth had come to find her. He waited for her to continue. "You know, why should I feel upset about shooting him? I mean, if I was going to be upset, which I'm not … it would be because Epps thinks he beat us, so..."

Booth soothed her. "He didn't."

"I know."

"You're upset because you think he beat us." Brennan met his eyes as Booth continued talking. "You know what? He did."

Brennan's eyes misted over. "Beat us?"

Booth nodded. "Yeah."

Brennan's brow furrowed. "Well, you just said that he didn't."

Booth's thumb rubbed circles on Brennan's leg. "Well, I changed my mind."

"In the last three seconds?"

Booth sighed, the movement of his hand stilled and became heavier on Brennan's lap. "You know, you're afraid that Epps turned you into him, into a killer. You have to come to grips with the fact that you killed another human being. Because when you kill someone, you know, there's a cost. It's a steep cost. I know. I've done it."

Brennan blinked her still clouded eyes. "I did the right thing."

His thumb began rubbings its soothing circles again. "I know. I was there."

Brennan looked back down at the photo of Sarah Koskoff. A tear escaped and dropped onto the center of the picture. She sighed and attempted to dry to photo with her hands. "Oh. Look what I did." She sniffled as she continued her attempt to restore the picture to its pristine condition.

Booth's hand left Brennan's leg in favor of wrapping around her wrist. He could feel her steady pulse beating. "It doesn't matter."

"It does. It matters." Brennan set the photo back on the table, next to her forgotten glass. "After you killed someone, did you always feel this way?"

Booth sighed, one hand now reaching up to wipe Brennan's tears. His response was a soft exhalation. "Yes."

"Does it go away?"

Booth considered for a moment. "Mostly. You think about the good that you've done, the evil that you have prevented, that helps. But this will stay with you. You'll wake up at night, and remember what you've done. And you won't be able to fall back asleep." He smiled and reached up to wipe one last tear. "And then you'll call me, and we'll talk until you are ready to sleep again."

"Only if you call me when you wake up in the middle of the night."

Booth shrugged noncommittally. He still wasn't comfortable sharing the dark parts of him. He worked so hard to put it all behind him, and he didn't want to burden her when he woke up shaking and sweating from his nightmares. She was his partner, he trusted her more than he trusted anybody. He knew that he could trust her with his past, but could he burden her with it? He wasn't sure. Booth pulled his hands back into his own personal space and one brushed against his pocket. Booth was reminded of the other reason that he had sought Brennan out. "I got something for ya."

Brennan smirked, "A bottle of hard liquor?"

Booth's hand reached into his pocket. "The next best thing." He pulled out a small plastic pig. He wiggled it gently in the palm of his hand as he held the toy close to her face. "Meet Jasper."

Brennan eyed the pig warily. Booth nudged it a little further under her nose, and she smiled. Laughing, she reached for the toy, and her fingers brushed Booth's as she took the pig from his hands.

Booth's voice took her focus away from the pig. "You're gonna be OK."

"Yeah?"

"Definitely."

Brennan considered the pig for another moment before closing her fist around it and turning to her partner. "So what do I do now?"

Booth stood from his chair and extended his hand to Brennan. "Now, you go home. You hug your daughter, you grab something to eat, and you sleep."

"What do I do if she asks me what happened today?"

Booth sighed and reached again for his partner. She reluctantly allowed him to pull her off of the couch. "You tell her that you solved the case and that you saved two lives today."

"That's it?"

Booth placed his arm at Brennan's back and eased her towards the stairs. "Well if she asks you if you shot anyone today you can tell her yes."

Brennan frowned. "She won't ask me that."

"Then crisis averted."

Brennan stopped mid-step. "I don't lie to my daughter, Booth."

"I know that. But you aren't lying. You're protecting her. It's a good thing, Bones."

"Are you sure?"

Booth pulled her a little closer to his side. "You're protecting her, you love her. Someday, you can sit her down and you can tell her everything, when you are both ready. Until then, just let her be your little girl."

Brennan nodded. "I think I understand."

"You'll be fine, Bones. We all will be." Brennan smiled as they began to walk forward again. "So, think it's too late to get some ice cream?"

* * *

Lucy climbed into the backseat of the SUV and clicked her seat belt. "So, where are we off to FBI Guy?"

"Thought we'd grab some ice cream. We had a long day."

"Oh really? What happened?"

Brennan sent a shocked glare over at Booth. Booth cleared his throat. "Your mom was a hero."

"Heroine." Lucy corrected. "Really? Mom what did you do?"

Brennan was trying to formulate a response when Booth reached over the console and grabbed her hand. "She solved the case. Now, one scoop or two?"

Lucy grinned. "Two, please."

Booth squeezed Brennan's hand and placed the car in drive. "Two scoops it is."


	36. Without Love

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Author's Note: Well, folks, one year ago today, I published the first chapter of If I Needed Someone. I love being a part of the Bones fanfic community, and I thank you for your support and encouragement. So Happy Anniversary to me and enjoy the next chapter of the Man in Black!

Chapter 35: Without Love

October 4, 2006 Booth's Apartment

Booth popped open the tab on his can of beer and sank into his couch. He stretched for the remote and idly flipped through channels. He was bored, plain and simple. And exhausted. He'd spent 72 hours in the back of a van, sleeping little and eating even less. The stake-out had been successful and the team had made twelve arrests. Booth's adrenaline had been pumping and he had been flying high until he had opened the door to his empty apartment. Suddenly, too tired to even call for food, he had just grabbed a cold one and retreated to the living room.

Halfway through the beer and at the top of the fifth inning of the game he was watching, a subtle knock resounded on the door. Blinking, Booth sat up, set his drink on the coffee table and rose with a groan. Three days in a cramped van had definitely taken its toll.

Booth was surprised to see Rebecca when he opened the door. She was dressed in a little black cocktail dress and her long hair was pulled into a twist held together by a simple clip. Booth simply extended an arm and waved her into his apartment.

"Hey, Rebecca. What are you doing here? Where's Parker?"

The blonde woman smiled as she adjusted the wrap along her shoulders. "I had a client dinner and Rose has class on Wednesday nights, so she couldn't stay late. Parker's spending the night with my parents."

Booth raked his fingers through his hair. "I would have picked him up. He could have spent the night with me. I'm his father, I can take care of him."

Rebecca raised an eyebrow, "You could have been at his school at 2:45?" Booth shook his head, he'd been giving the go-ahead on a raid at that time. "Or been at my place by 5:15 so that the nanny could get to her class on time?" Booth frowned, he'd been processing his collar then. He was an excellent agent and a dedicated father, the two roles just didn't always work together.

"Anyway, you could have given me the option. I don't get enough time with him as it is. He's still my son."

"That's not why I came here tonight, Seeley." Rebecca sighed, they had this argument all too frequently with never changing results.

Booth crossed his arms, "Then why are you here?"

Rebecca gave a soft smirk as she let her velvet wrap fall to the floor. With the flick of her wrist, the clip joined the shawl and she shook her hair loose. Booth swallowed hard and his hands fell limply to his side. When they had first started dating, her hair had been even longer, and he had loved running his fingers through the silky tresses. It had once been his job to free her hair from its pins and clips after a date, and the action had become something of a code between them. He always knew what she wanted when she literally let her hair down. And she still had the power to sway him with that simple move.

She took a confident step towards Booth, closing the distance between them. When he didn't move, she took another step. When he numbly stared at her, she tilted her head up and pressed her lips to his. They kissed for a long moment before Booth pulled back, placing his hands on her shoulders and holding her at a distance.

"Becs, what are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see you."

"What about Drew? You know, your _boyfriend_?" Rebecca shrugged and tried to remove Booth's hands from her shoulders, hoping to pull their bodies closer together again. She was unsuccessful and Booth's gaze bored into her eyes. "Rebecca," Booth warned.

"We're taking a break. His ex-wife called him and she wants to reconcile."

"So you've been dumped, and you're hurting and you came here?" Booth finally released her shoulders and she ran her hand up and down his chest.

"It's worked in the past. You and I were always good together."

Booth took a step back. "I'm sorry, Rebecca. I'm not that guy anymore. I'm not good for a booty call when you're feeling bad about yourself."

Rebecca frowned. "It's because of Dr. Brennan, isn't it? You're finally dating her?"

"No, we're just partners." He vehemently denied the accusation, at least the second half of it anyway.

"So are you with someone else? I find that hard to believe."

"No, I'm not with anyone else."

Her smirk returned as she toyed with the fabric of his shirt, "Then I don't see a problem. You're single, I'm single. It doesn't have to mean anything."

Booth picked up her hands and gently pulled them away from his shirt before once again dropping his own. "Yes, it does. I want it to mean something. I want it to be more than sex."

Rebecca took her own step back, stooping to pick up her dropped clothing items. "God, Seeley, when did you become this paragon of virtue? You're not a monk."

Now, Booth did step towards her and placed his hand at her elbow. "Are you telling me that if I led you into my bedroom right now and kept you up _all night long,_ that it wouldn't be a mistake? Do you honestly think that tonight could be a fresh start for us? That we could go back to being Seeley and Rebecca and we'd end up married, give Parker another sibling or two, and live happily ever after?"

"Seeley." Rebecca soothed, as she sighed "Does it have to be about a relationship? Can't it just be about two friends having fun?"

"I'm sorry Rebecca, but not anymore." He wanted more than that. He wanted _everything_. And he wasn't ashamed to admit it.

Rebecca nodded and turned on her heel, trying to gracefully accept defeat. She was nearly out the door when Booth called her name. She whipped her head around, her hair floating in the self-made breeze. She was holding out hope that he had changed his mind, would pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless. "Yes?"

"Can you give this to Parker?". Booth handed the woman a comic book. "I thought that he'd like it."

Rebecca glared at the comic as she reached for it. For a moment they both had a hand on the book and their eyes locked. Then Booth blinked and released the comic into her grip. Without further ceremony, Rebecca walked out of the apartment. Booth simply returned to his perch on his sofa where he returned to his now lukewarm, flat beer.

Booth wasn't exactly sure of his thoughts. Yes, in the past he and Rebecca had dated, then the stick had turned blue and their romantic relationship had ended. However, they were forever bound by their son and in the past several years they had often found comfort in each other. A little over a year ago, Rebecca would have already been naked in his bed, but things were different now. He had changed. More specifically, someone had changed him. It wasn't a secret, he had moved on. Maybe not in the most traditional sense, as she still seemed to be unaware of it, but someone else had claimed his heart.

And as if the connection that he felt was reciprocated, his phone rang. Groaning again as he twisted to grab his phone out of the couch cushions and without checking the ID, he answered the call, knowing who would be on the other end.

"Booth."

"It's me. I hope that I didn't wake you."

Despite the exhaustion of the day, Booth felt himself perk up. "No, I am still up. Long day, but we got our guys. Twelve arrests and we've got 'em all, dead to rights."

"That's good."

There was an awkward pause before Booth spoke again. "Not that I don't appreciate the call, but what's up?"

Brennan didn't answer. Why exactly had she called him? She wasn't entirely sure. One minute she had been writing a scene between Kathy and Andy and the next, she had pressed a speed dial button and had heard his voice on the other end. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I called."

Booth exhaled a soft breath, "Hey, Bones?"

"Yes?"

"I missed you too." He could have sworn that her own breath hitched in response, and it brought a silly grin to his face. He shifted, lying down on the couch, yet another groan escaping him as he tried to make himself comfortable.

"Is your back bothering you?"

"I'm fine."

"When was the last time you slept?"

"I'm an Army Ranger, Bones. I don't need sleep."

Booth chuckled into the phone as he heard Brennan scoff in the background. "You should rest, and schedule an appointment with a chiropractor as soon as possible."

"Yes, dear." Booth almost slapped himself on the forehead at the comment. He had meant it in a joking tone, but he knew that she wouldn't understand his put-upon response. Or the endearment that had slipped out.

However, she chose to ignore the statement and continued to boss him around. "And don't fall asleep on your couch. It really is terrible for your back. And you should probably take something for the pain."

"I'll be fine." Another awkward pause followed. The silence stretched on before Booth cleared his throat, "So, how's Squirt? What's she been up to these days?"

Brennan began to describe Lucy's mounting school-work, her various activities and the latest books that had captured his interest. Booth listened, but as Brennan continued her monologue, he found himself distracted. He wasn't listening to her words so much as the tone of her voice, the obvious pride and love. Others saw her as cold, even abrasive, but he knew the truth. She hid her true self behind a mask of scientific objectivity, but she was passionate and warm and he wanted her. So much.

There was another pause and Booth's focus was pulled back to the conversation. "I'm sorry, Bones. What did you say?"

"I asked you what do you think would be an appropriate birthday present for a boy turning thirteen. Lucy has been invited to Carter's birthday party and she doesn't know what to get him. We thought that you would know, as you were once a thirteen year old boy."

Booth cringed, he didn't want Lucy spending time with a thirteen year old boy. She was only eleven. Booth had met the boy. He seemed nice enough, but Booth had gotten himself into his fair share of trouble at thirteen. He didn't trust teenagers as far as he could throw them. Call it a job hazard. "Are you sure she should be going to this party? Isn't she a little young to be hanging out with teenagers?"

"Booth, it's just a birthday party. He invited his entire class, these are her peers. They are just going to see a movie and share cake. There is nothing to worry about. Lucy is very mature for her age."

"I still don't have to like it," Booth grumbled as he acknowledged defeat, he had no right to give her parenting advice. Still, Booth found it difficult to stop the various scenarios that ran through his head, in his line of work he'd seen some nice-looking kids do some terrible things. He wouldn't fight about Lucy's taste in friends without a reason, but he'd keep an eye out. Vigilance was a personal strength.

"Anyway, do you have any suggestions?" Booth rattled off a few ideas as Brennan took note in order to report her findings to her daughter in the morning. "Thank you, now you should get some sleep. I imagine that you are quite exhausted."

"Yeah, I guess I should go." But, he didn't want to go. He wanted to keep talking to her all night long, whispering secrets into her ear. He tried to calm those rapid-fire thoughts. This path was too dangerous to head down, not when he was weary and reeling from his encounter with Rebecca.

"Good night, Booth."

Dammit, he was going to go down this rocky road anyway. "Hey, Bones?"

"Yes?" She answered quickly, apparently she was also not quite ready to end their conversation.

"Do you ever wish..." He let his voice trail off as he completed the thought in his head. _Do you ever wish that things were different between us? Do you ever wish that we had met in a coffee shop and not over a dead body?_

He started again, "Do you ever think..." Again he only finished the sentence in his own mind. _Do you ever think that we can be more than partners? Do you ever think that someone like you could ever be with a guy like me? Do you ever think of _us_?_

This time he managed to finish his question, even if it wasn't one of the questions that he meant to ask. "Do you and Lucy want to come over on Sunday? I'm supposed to have Parker this weekend, and I promised Lucy that I would teach her some football. Steelers are playing the Chargers. Oh, you can bring that five-layer dip that you've been bragging about."

"Seven-layer dip. It has seven-layers."

"Oh, even better. Anyway, bring that. Come over around noon. We'll hang out. Order a pizza, make root-beer floats."

"I will ask Lucy, but I'm sure that will be fine."

"Great. It's a da... a plan. A good plan. Anyway, you should get some sleep too. You never know when our next body is going to drop."

"That's true. Have a good night, Booth."

"Yeah, you too." He was about to hang up when Brennan's voice returned.

"Would you like to join us for dinner tomorrow?" The words rushed out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Booth smiled to himself again. "That sounds good. Any particular reason why?"

There was another pause before he answered "Lucy's missed you."

"Tell Squirt I'll see her for dinner then. I'll bring dessert."

"Yes, good night." She quickly disconnected the call and Booth slipped his own cell shut. He played with his phone with his hand. He settled himself more deeply into the couch, his back still aching, but a stupid grin on his face. She wouldn't admit it, but he knew the truth.

She had missed him.


	37. Guess Things Happen That Way

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Author's Note: It's been a month. I'm sorry. Hang in there with me, I know where I'm going, and I hope you will still enjoy the ride.

Chapter 36: Guess Things Happen That Way

October 5, 2006

Brennan made her way through the Hoover, focused on their current case and hoping that Booth had made some progress interviewing their victim's two wives.

Her progress was slowed by an unfamiliar voice calling her name. Brennan turned to see an agent holding up her visitor pass, which had become detached as she had rushed down the hallway. The man hurried the last couple steps towards her and thrust the pass at the scientist.

Brennan reached for the item and primly clipped it back on her lapel, checking its security. She expected the man to move on, but the agent was staring at her, and she found that she couldn't ignore him. She cleared her throat before addressing him. "I'm sorry, how do you know my name?"

He didn't even blink as he responded. "Everyone knows you, and we've all read your book. It's fantastic by the way."

"Thank you, uhh, Agent..."

This time he thrust out his hand at her and she shook it after a slight hesitation. His grip was firm, but lacking something that Brennan couldn't describe. "Fairfax, Eddie Fairfax. Feel free to call me Eddie."

"Yes, thank you for the badge, Eddie. Have a good day." Brennan withdrew her hand from his, he seemed reluctant to let it go.

The man flashed a smile, "Actually, Dr. Brennan, I'm glad that you dropped it. I've been looking for an excuse to talk to you."

Brennan boldly met the man's eyes. "Why?"

"I've noticed you. And of course your work precedes you. You've made Agent Booth look very good this past year."

Brennan stammered, "Booth is a superb agent in his own right."

"But _you_ make him look damn good. Cullen practically does back-flips over him. I hear that you are brilliant."

"I am the best in the world at what I do." She replied with her usual hubris.

The man chuckled, "Yes, I'm sure that you are. Forgive me if I'm being too forward, but you're stunning as well."

"Excuse me?"

"You, Dr. Brennan, are stunning. By any chance are you free for dinner, maybe drinks? Saturday night?" The man gazed hopefully at Brennan as she eyed him, analyzing him. He was in a rather poorly tailored suit, with a staid tie that was hanging just a bit too long on his relatively short frame. If she had been wearing heels she would have easily been taller than him. He wasn't exactly handsome, but there was a rakish scar over one eyebrow that she assumed most women would find attractive. He was not unappealing, but he was no Booth, that was for sure. She wasn't sure why exactly she was making the comparison, but there it was.

"I don't think so." She expressed herself in her very frank manner and Eddie's grin fell.

"You have a boyfriend?"

Brennan was blunt in her reply, "No."

The agent's smile reappeared and he pulled his wallet out of his jacket pocket. "Well then, here's my card. If you change your mind, give me a call." He winked at her as he fished out a pristine business card. "I'll be waiting. Have a lovely day." He thrust the paper into her hand without waiting for another comment, whistling as he backed down the hallway.

He reappeared at the bullpen, feeling a bit smug. He had asked out Temperance Brennan. Sure, she hadn't said "yes," but she hadn't slugged him either. Agent Ryan Stuart sauntered over to Eddie, shaking his head. "You're a brave man, Fairfax. Brave and insanely stupid."

Fairfax pretended to be interested in some files at his desk. "Don't know what you mean, Stu."

"That's Booth's girl."

"She says she's single. She's fair game. Frankly, I'm surprised no one else has made a move on her."

Stu shook his head a bit harder. "Because, she's Booth's girl."

"I didn't see a ring. Don't you have some work to do?"

Stu held up his hands in surrender. "Well, I tried to warn you. Just watch your back. He's a trained sniper."

"Whatever, Stu." Stuart walked away, still shaking his head as Fairfax tried to better hide his smug smile.

* * *

Brennan stared at the bit of paper in her hand for awhile. She was sure that Eddie was a capable agent, but she felt nothing at his blatant flirtation. She was used to men asking her out, and she wasn't shy about reciprocating interest when the mood struck her. Still, Brennan had refused all recent offers of companionship. She didn't have a chance to brood on her recent choices as she was once again interrupted by a voice, this time female.

"Hey. Dr. Brennan, right?" Brennan quickly placed Eddie's card in her pants pocket as she turned to address the voice. She was a bit taken aback as she recognized Booth's ex.

"Rebecca, hi."

"Is Booth here?" Rebecca asked impatiently.

Brennan eyed the woman warily. "He is, but it's not a good time. We are in the middle of a case."

"Aren't you always?" Brennan nodded curtly in reply. "I just need him to sign a form for Parker's hockey team. I should have brought it over last night when I saw him, but I forgot. I had other things on my mind."

Brennan snapped to attention, "You saw Booth last night?"

Rebecca smirked before schooling her face into a more neutral expression. "Yes, I went over late last night. We do that from time to time."

"It's a school night. Was Parker with you?"

"No, he was with my parents; it was just the two of us."

A strange feeling rose in Brennan's chest. She couldn't name it, but she didn't enjoy it. "Well, clearly the two of you are compatible, you do have a son together. And he seems like an ideal candidate. Strong, alpha male, good protective instincts."

Rebecca nodded, "Yes, he is all of those things." She felt petty at the rather crestfallen expression on the anthropologist's face, but she was still bitter about the previous evening. "I'm very lucky to have him in my life."

"Yes, of course." Brennan nodded as she glanced at her watch. "If you'll excuse me, I really need to speak to Booth about our case. He's been expecting me. Would you care to walk with me so that you can get your signature?"

Rebecca shrugged, "No, that's alright. I'll let him focus on work now. I wouldn't want to distract him. Actually, you don't even have to mention that I was here. I'll catch up with him later."

Brennan turned away from the blond woman, feeling a bit numb, "Fine, say hello to Parker for me." Rebecca watched the woman walk away, the usual confident bounce in her step absent. Rebecca exited to the elevators, feeling cold, yet somehow justified. She wasn't used to rejection, and despite the pettiness, it had felt good to exact just a little bit of revenge.

Brennan knocked on Booth's door before entering his office. His ear was pressed to his land line and his nose was attached to a file. Still he gave her a quick grin and waved her into the room. He ended his call as quickly as possible and set his file down.

She settled herself in her typical seat as he continued to gather himself. He was clearly in work mode, and she was glad for the focus. She needed to concentrate on work, not on random, inferior agents attempting to sleep with her and definitely not on beautiful blond women who had pasts and presents with her partner.

They spent nearly twenty minutes discussing theories and steps to solving the case, but eventually they had used all of their work related talking points. Booth attempted some small talk, but Brennan didn't engage him, even when he purposefully said something scientifically inaccurate to goad her into a response.

Finally giving up, Booth just stared at his partner. "You OK, Bones?"

Her head snapped up to meet his eyes. "I'm just fine."

"You sure?"

"Actually," she paused and seemed to be gathering her thoughts, and Booth hazarded a smile, pleased that she was about to confide in him. "Would you be willing to watch Lucy on Saturday night? Perhaps she could sleep over at your place, actually, and I would join you Sunday for that football match."

"Why?"

"Well, she and Parker have both been begging to have a sleepover, and it seems like an appropriate time."

Booth looked at his partner with curiosity. "Well, we'd be happy to have her. She can sleep over, Parker will be thrilled. But why now? What's up?"

"I have plans on Saturday night, and Angela is going to an artist's retreat this weekend, so she will be unable to stay with Lucy."

"What do you have going on Saturday night? You didn't mention it last night when we talked."

"It actually just came up. I'm going to have a date."

Booth had to reign in his reaction, "Going to have a date?"

"Yes, Agent Fairfax has asked me out. I initially turned him down, but I've reconsidered. And since you are willing to keep Lucy with you, I will be available this weekend."

Booth inhaled sharply, choking on his own breath. It took him a moment to recover. "Eddie Fairfax, you're going out with Eddie?"

"Yes, I believe so."

Well, Booth couldn't believe it. She was considering going out on a date with Eddie Fairfax. He was an average agent with average looks and in Booth's opinion, below average intelligence. He couldn't imagine what Brennan would see in that man. A jealous beast rose inside of Booth's chest. Suddenly, he was angry with her.

They had kissed, multiple times. They had shared a bed. They had eaten breakfasts and lunches and dinners together. They had shared desserts. He had taken her kid to the park and the zoo and the aquarium. He had calmed his partner when she was upset, he had soothed her daughter when she needed it. He had helped to reunite them with their family, he had helped solve her mother's murder.

The fact that Brennan was his partner was reason enough to do all of those things, but he'd always known that there was more between them. Everything that they had done over the past year, he had thought that they were working towards something, together.

It just didn't make sense. He couldn't wrap his head around it. He couldn't wrap his heart around it. One word kept running through his mind, pulsing in his brain. _Why?_ And he didn't have an answer.

The snapping of Brennan's fingers brought him out of his stupor, a concerned expression on her face. "Booth, are you alright?"

Booth shook his head rather harshly in order to clear it. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You look rather pale."

Booth changed the subject, "Do you want to drop Squirt off or do you want me and Parker to pick her up? And what time should I be expecting her?"

"I don't know yet. We'll talk about it."

Booth pursed his lips. "Right, of course, yeah. We've still got a case to solve."

"Yes, we do."

"I'll get on those leads." Booth clapped his hands together, his signature gesture of impatience.

"You'll call me if you need me?" Her eyes were large, the lost little girl expression etched into her face. His anger softened a bit. Whenever she showed even a small bit of vulnerability, he felt a pang in his chest.

"Don't I always?" He gave her a small smile, one that wasn't completely sincere, but she wasn't able to tell the difference.

Releasing her own relaxed breath, she gave him her own half smile. "I'll see you later, Booth."

"I'll be in touch." Brennan gave a curt nod and exited the office. Booth watched her exit, still confused and a little heartbroken. Why didn't she understand? And why couldn't he just man up, grab her, and kiss the living daylights out of her? What was stopping them? He knew there were hundreds of reasons, but he couldn't think of a single one at just that moment.

Booth grunted, he had a case to solve, and he'd have to make a detour. He'd have to see a man about a date.


	38. I Walk The Line

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Author's Note: Hey look an update, and a longish one too. Enjoy.

Chapter 37: I Walk The Line

October 6, 2006

Booth paced around the statue in the lobby of the Jeffersonian. He noted again the odd juxtaposition of the marble, traditional hall attached to the clinical, modern steel of the lab. He wasn't sure exactly why he was here. It was Friday night and he knew that Brennan was at home, but he'd come here anyway. Funny how this place had become his place to find logic and reason.

The humored voice of a forensic pathologist interrupted his thoughts. "Booth? What are you doing out here?"

The agent shrugged his shoulders, taking one last glance at the sculpture in the center of the lobby. "Dunno."

Cam watched him for a moment, a teasing tone still in her voice. "You do know that Dr. Brennan went home about an hour ago."

"Yeah, I knew that."

Cam sobered slightly, it was unusual for Booth to be so distracted. "Are you and Dr. Brennan OK, Seeley? The two of you seemed a bit off today."

"We're fine, Cam," Booth snapped. He turned toward the pathologist, only slightly apologetic. "Solved the case didn't we?"

Cam made a noncommittal noise. Things had improved for her at the lab, but she was still adjusting to the moods and whims of her rather strange and eclectic team. Wanting to help Booth in his depressed state, Cam reached out to pat him on the shoulder. "Want to come back to my office, Big Guy? I've got a bottle of scotch with our names on it."

Booth gave a reluctant nod and then perked up, giving his friend a sincere smile. "Sounds good."

They walked back to Cam's office slowly and in silence. It wasn't exactly awkward, but they both realized that it had been a long time since they had been alone together. They were both settled by Cam's desk, each with a glass before they broke their silence. It was the pathologist who spoke first. "So, what's up?"

Booth sighed and swirled the remains of his scotch around his glass like a movie villain. "I don't know what to do, Cam. I just don't understand why I can't get my life together."

Cam took her own sip of alcohol before shooting him a sly smile. "Why Seeley, I thought that you were rather happy with your job right now."

Booth grunted. "Don't be cute, Camille. It's my love life we're talking about here."

Ah, so that was what was bothering him, Cam should have known. She actually laughed at him before sobering and subtly gesturing for him to continue.

"Why can't Bones and I just be together? What's stopping us? Why can't I make this thing work between us?"

"Well..."

Booth interrupted her before she could offer him anything constructive. "I mean, we find each other attractive. She's smart and beautiful and passionate. What else could I want?" Once again, Cam attempted to speak, but he continued on his tangent. "And I love her kid. I mean Squirt, Lucy is, she's one of the best things in my life right now. She looks up to me, she trusts me. That little girl loves me, she's willing to accept everything that I have to offer, she wants it. Why can't Bones want it too?"

He fell back into silence, eventually looking up from his glass to stare at his friend. "Well?"

Once again, Cam gave a sly smile. "Oh, you actually want my opinion?" Booth narrowed his eyes and grunted. He really wasn't in the mood for her teasing tonight. "Have you actually told her these things? Have you ever told her how you feel about her, about Lucy? Have you ever told her what you want?"

Booth closed his eyes, remembering. They'd had one real conversation about the possibility of being a couple and Brennan hadn't been ready. He'd been willing to wait. And they had grown even closer after the conversation. And, technically, they did still talk about feelings, just not the ones that he was desperate to talk about again.

They talked about their feelings as partners, of their working relationship all the time. They just never talked about other kinds of relationships. Diving in together, it would never just be about the two of them, it was one of the reasons that Brennan was so hesitant about actually dating him. Booth didn't worry about the children involved, they all had more than enough love to go around.

Of course, Booth always thought that their jobs that held them back. They were so focused on the team, on cases, that they didn't have a chance to work on other things. But, now that he was being honest with himself, he and Brennan did have other issues. He couldn't just use his job as an excuse, it was an old habit that he thought that he had broken.

He began speaking, more to the universe than to Cam, but it felt good to have the words tumble out and know that someone was listening. "She doesn't know everything about me. She doesn't know about my dad or Pops. She doesn't know much about my screw up a brother. She doesn't know about my gambling. She doesn't know about Teddy, about why my son is named Parker. My past, as much as I try to ignore it and rise above it; it's always there. If we make a go of it, I have to tell her those things, I don't know that I'm ready for that."

Cam's response was soft and caring, even as she shifted to refill both of their glasses. "She knows you, Booth."

He shrugged, "Maybe." It hurt him to think that he wasn't sure anymore. It was arrogant of him, but he thought of Fairfax as an inferior agent, an inferior man. The fact that Brennan was considering dating him, it was driving Booth crazy. After everything this summer, after their recent cases, how could she not understand how he felt? Hadn't he told her that he would wait for her to be ready? Didn't that mean anything to her? After all, she had killed a man to save his life, that had to mean something.

Cam watched him brood for a moment before speaking again. "She knows the important stuff. We all have pasts, regrets. We all have things that we wish we could change. But Booth, she knows you, the man that you are."

"I guess." He still sounded petulant, which Cam still found amusing if disconcerting.

She sighed, "Can I be honest here, Seeley?"

Booth frowned but agreed.

"I don't know why Brennan doesn't just jump you." She smiled as Booth gave a halfhearted laugh, it was nice not to be the only one with a pesky friend that had bold opinions. "Honestly, I can't figure her out, but I know you. You don't want people to see your hurt. You are the white knight. You want to protect other people and it's a good thing, really. It's who you are. But you use it as a crutch. You let people think that you are the Golden Boy, you hide behind it. Somewhere inside of you, you are protecting your own ego. You worry that if someone sees your vulnerability, if they learn about your past, they won't see the hero anymore. They'll see the broken little boy, the wounded soldier. You don't want them to look down on you, to pity you. You want them to only see the best parts of you. It holds you back, in all of your relationships. It's holding you back now."

Booth had no response, but Cam had more to say. "And like I said earlier, I may not know Dr. Brennan well, but I think I know enough about her to think that she is different than most people." Booth snorted at that comment, Brennan certainly was different than everyone else. "Do you honestly think that her opinion of you would change if you let it all out? If you told her about your past? About your feelings?"

That gave Booth food for thought. Deep down, he knew that Brennan would understand his past. If he told Brennan about his feelings, he wasn't sure that she would be receptive. She didn't believe in marriage, scoffed even at the idea of monogamy. She scorned psychology and compartmentalized feelings. Perhaps she did all those things to protect her own heart, but perhaps she really did mean all that. Maybe, she really didn't want romantic relationships. Maybe she really was content without love, without the type of companionship that Booth dreamed about.

Booth shook his head at his own thoughts. He knew Brennan better than that. He saw the fierceness of her love for her daughter, the affection for her team that she tried to hide, the depth of emotion that she experienced every time that she examined a body. She tried to deny those feelings, brush them aside, but she was more than capable of experiencing them. And despite her denials, Booth was pretty confident that she must want more than what she had been forced to settle for in the past. If he hid his true self, why couldn't she?

Cam let her friend sort through his thoughts. She packed away the bottle, collected the empty glasses and patiently waited for Booth to remember that she was in the room. Eventually, he lifted his head and raised his eyebrow at her quizzical expression.

"So, do you love her?"

Booth scrubbed his face with his hands, his response a mere whisper. "If she'd let me, I know that I could."

Cam smiled to herself, her friend had it bad. Perhaps she had given him the little push that he needed. She wanted him to be happy, he deserved it. She stood from her chair and reached for her coat, hinting that she had taken Booth as far as she could.

"You know, it's funny. I kind of had this fantasy that when I took this job, you and I, something would happen between us. We used to have a good time together."

Booth smiled as he stood up, "We did."

"It would be easy for us to just let all go."

Booth nodded. "It would be."

"It would be easy, and it would be fun and great. But it would be a mistake. I know that, and you know that. Just make sure that Brennan knows that, too. She may not be ready for everything, yet. But don't give up. Nothing worth having is ever easy."

Booth leaned in and gave her a strong hug. "You are a good friend, Camille."

"You are a good man, Seeley. Don't let her forget it. Don't let her ignore it."

Cam flipped her hair out of the collar of her coat, grabbed for her bag and walked out of her office, a jaunt to her step and a smirk on her face, utterly pleased with herself. She was finally getting the hang of this job.

Booth watched her leave and eventually, he too left the building. He left his SUV in the structure and started walking. A thousand thoughts swirled in his head, and he let them all have their turn. He just kept walking, not even surprised when he found himself at the steps of Brennan's building. He walked up the stairs, two at a time on the last flight, still not sure exactly what he was going to say.

Brennan was surprised to hear the knocking on her door. After the oddly tense dinner last night and the strange conclusion of their case, she hadn't been expecting the familiar knock.

Lucy popped up from the couch as her mother let Booth in. "Hey, FBI Guy! Did you know that the host of Reading Rainbow used to be on Star Trek?"

Sure enough, a rerun of the show was playing on the television and Brennan looked at the screen with slight disapproval. Lucy didn't notice as she bounced a bit on the couch. "Hodgins and Zack are always talking about this show and the science behind it. Zack says that the theories and plots are ludicrous and Hodgins thinks it's all totally possible and that the government just keeps it all hidden."

Booth smiled at her enthusiasm. "What do you think?"

She shrugged, "I think some of he stuff that the Jeffersonian can do is close enough to science fiction, so who knows? Maybe someday it will all happen. Anyways, I just like the show. It's fun and now I know what the Hodgins and Zack are always talking about it. And, I really like Captain Picard's accent."

"Did you know that he offered to wear a wig if he got the part?"

"Really?" She scrunched her nose in disbelief, and Booth couldn't help noticing that she had inherited that expression from her mother.

"Yep, guess he didn't need it."

"So did you watch the show when it was first on? Cause we could watch this one together. It's two parts and Hodgins says that they are the best episodes, he made me promise to watch." Even as Lucy extended her invitation, Brennan reached for the remote and turned off the television. Lucy loudly protested. "Mom, I need to find out if Picard gets away from the Borg!"

"No more tonight. You recorded it. You may watch it later. Now, please go change for bed, it's getting late."

Lucy frowned, but obeyed, giving her mother and Booth each a hug, before heading for her room.

Booth's mouth twitched as he heard a door close. "You know, Bones, you could have let her watch the end, it is a classic."

Brennan's eyes narrowed. "Why are you here, Booth?"

Booth had planned on a little more small talk, or to say something less direct, and he was horrified to hear himself blurt out, "Don't go out with Fairfax."

"Excuse me?" Her arms crossed over her chest.

"Don't go out with him. You are so out of his league."

Brennan stared at him for a moment. "Why are you here, Booth?"

"I'm always here, Bones. Don't know why you are surprised that I showed up tonight."

"But you shouldn't be here. You should be with Parker." She took a deep breath, "And Rebecca."

Booth looked at her with curiosity. "I pick up Parker in the morning, I wasn't sure how late the case would keep us. And why would you think that I would be with Rebecca?"

Brennan released her arms and made her way to the kitchen, picking up a few stray glasses from the table. Booth chased after her, calling her name. He cornered her by the sink, watching as she scrubbed at the few dishes. His voice was soft, though it still held a bit of panic. "Bones, why do you think that I would be out with Rebecca?"

"Because she implied that you two were dating again."

Clearly confused, Booth stared at his partner. "When did she imply that?"

"I saw her at the Hoover, the day that Eddie asked me out on a date. She said that you had spent the evening together. I assumed that meant that you two were dating again. I'm surprised that you didn't mention it to me, with your priority for us to not keep secrets from each other, but I suppose that you were just adjusting to the shift in your relationship."

Booth felt anger surging at his ex as he listened to Brennan talk. Of course, who knew what Rebecca could have said that Brennan had misinterpreted? Still, Rebecca hadn't been happy that Booth had turned her away, perhaps she was lashing out at the anthropologist. Understanding also dawned on him, Brennan had been jealous. Whatever, Rebecca had said, it had made Brennan jealous. That was why she had agreed to go out with Fairfax. Something like hope stirred in Booth's chest.

He couldn't help the quirk of a smile on his lips, and took a small step towards the anthropologist. "I'm not dating Rebecca. We have a kid together, but that's it. We'll never be more than that again."

Brennan set the dishes down and dried her hands on a towel. "How can you say that? Parker is very important to you. Your feelings for him, they must extend to his mother as well."

Booth stepped towards her again, "OK, I do care about Rebecca. She gave me Parker, and I'll always be grateful, but I've moved on. I'm not going back to her."

"But she said..."

Booth took another step toward his partner, placing his arms loosely around her shoulders. "Never mind what Rebecca said, she was angry with me and she took it out on you. I'm sorry for that. But who are you going to trust? A woman you've met twice who just broke up with her boyfriend and is feeling bad about herself, or your trusty, charming partner who always tells you the truth, no matter what?"

Brennan cracked a smile, even as she fought it. "Of course I trust you, Booth." Booth relaxed a bit more at her words.

"So, no more Fairfax, right? You didn't actually like him, did you?"

Brennan considered for a moment before shaking her head. "Not really, no. He isn't... he isn't..." Brennan didn't finish her sentence, but Booth thought he knew what completed the thought. He lifted his hand from its placement on her shoulder and brushed her cheek, leaning in slowly.

He knew that they still needed to talk, that talking before acting was a better idea, he just didn't care right now. It just felt good to be close to her again, to know that Brennan wasn't moving on, especially with that schmuck.

Booth had closed his eyes after he noticed her eyelids fluttering shut, taking a deep but silent breath. He had tilted his head toward her, when a voice called from the hallway, stopping his journey. "Mom, are you and Booth done talking now? Can I come out? Please?" They both pulled back from each other, chuckling.

Booth called out to Lucy, "Sure, come on out, Squirt." He whispered to Brennan pressing a quick kiss onto her forehead, "We'll talk later?" Brennan nodded. Once again he raised his voice, "Hey, Squirt, how does popcorn sound? We can make some and then watch some Star Trek. It's not a school night." He could hear Lucy cheering in the background as Brennan raised an eyebrow. Booth smiled again. "It's not that late yet, and it really is a classic, Bones. You'll like it. I promise." She just sighed and stepped toward the pantry pulling out a container of kernels.


	39. Just As I Am

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Chapter 38: Just As I Am

October 6, 2006 The Brennans' Apartment

"She still asleep?" Booth looked up from the laptop as Brennan re-entered the room.

"Yes, she was exhausted. We let her stay up too late. But, she'll be..." Brennan stopped herself as she realized that Booth had actually used her laptop when she had gone to check on her daughter. "What are you doing?"

Booth quickly closed the top of the computer and set it back on the coffee table, shifting it slightly so that it rested in its original position. He looked a bit sheepish before looking up at his partner and flashing her a megawatt smile. "Just reading up on Kathy and Andy."

"You shouldn't have done that."

He smile grew wider, "Ah, come on, Bones. I didn't even get to the good stuff. All I found was Kathy talking about kerf marks with her assistant."

Brennan huffed, "Those kerf marks end up identifying the murder weapon and provide the forensic link to the killer. It's the most important chapter of the book."

"Do Kathy and Andy make out in the back of his SUV in that chapter?" Booth waggled his eyebrows as he continued to give her a goofy grin.

Brennan shook her head, trying not to be amused by his antics. "No, of course not. They are too focused on the case."

Booth shrugged, "Then it's not the best chapter."

"You are ridiculous." She appeared annoyed, but the hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she resumed her position on the couch. "You will be happy to know that Kathy and Andy do manage to have some fun."

His eyebrow raised, and his voice was gleeful, "Oh really?"

"Yes, they go dancing."

"Oh? You like to dance, Bones?" Booth shifted over on the couch, placing his body closer to hers.

"Well, it was actually Angela's idea. But with the appropriate air of frivolity, yes, I enjoy dancing."

Booth moved even closer to her. "You know, if you wanted me to, I could take you dancing."

She didn't make eye contact, but the ghost of the smile on her face didn't fade away. "I'd like that."

Once again, Booth shifted, his side now touching Brennan's. "You do know that if I took you dancing, I'd take you out to dinner first."

"That would be acceptable. I enjoy eating with you."

He reached over and grabbed her hand in his own. "And while we were dancing, I'd buy you a drink or two."

"I believe that is an accepted social custom."

Booth nodded, "And after dancing, I'd take you home, walk you up to your door, and then I'd kiss you goodnight."

At that comment, Brennan stiffened her back and turned her head to stare at Booth. "That sounds like a date."

The stupid grin was still on his face, but it had softened somewhat. "See, I knew that you were a genius."

"Booth..." She admonished softly. They had talked about this before, months ago.

"No, hear me out. There are some things I want to tell you. You scared me when you told me that you were going out with Fairfax. I thought that we were waiting for each other, until we were both ready. I'll admit that I was jealous. I don't want you going out with anyone else. Anyway, it made me realize that there are some other things that I need to tell you, things that I don't tell just anyone."

"Booth, you don't have to tell me anything that you don't want to." She lightly squeezed the hand that was holding hers.

"Temperance, these are things that I have to tell you, things that you need to know if we ever want to move forward, if _I_ am ever going to be able to move forward in a relationship." Brennan gasped softly at the fervent way that he had said the word 'relationship,' but Booth ignored it. "You've opened up so much to me, told me about your past; about all of the things that you have overcome, the things that you are still overcoming. I want to do the same thing for you. I want you to be able to understand me."

Brennan admonished him, "Booth, I do understand you. At least I think I do. I know that I'm not the best with people, but..."

He exhaled a sharp breath, her tender offerings of comfort made his chest hurt. He hated talking about his past, loathed it, but he was surprised by just how much he actually wanted her to know these things. He wanted her to know him as well as he knew her. He held her hand just a bit tighter, and interrupted her. "Just let me say these things. We'll start at the beginning. I told you about my Dad, that he was a barber in Philly, that he was a pilot in Vietnam. What I didn't tell you about him is that he drank. A lot. And all the time."

Brennan hummed, "He was likely suffering from undiagnosed PTSD."

"Yeah," Booth agreed, "He probably was, but it wasn't just that he drank. When he drank, he got violent. He'd get violent with table lamps, and kitchen chairs, he'd break picture frames, vases, anything he could get his hands on. He'd destroy things. And when he ran out of _things_ to destroy, he'd get violent with us. With me, and my mom. With my brother. I tried to protect Jared as much as I could, he was my kid brother, and he didn't understand. Hell, I didn't really understand. I didn't get how he could hit my mom, give me a black eye, and then just go to sleep every night, like nothing had happened. He'd wake up; my mom would make him coffee and he'd grab a donut and go off to work like everything was normal."

"I'm sorry, Booth. It must have been very difficult for you." Her hand squeezed his again, and he almost shivered at the tingle he felt shooting up his arm.

Taking a deep breath, Booth continued. "It was. To the outside world I was this happy-go-lucky kid, playing sports and getting in scrapes. But inside, I was a mess; it was a dark and scary place, I don't like to go back there. Even now, I don't like to think about it. And then my mom was just gone, and it was just Jared and me being used as his personal punching bags. I tried to keep Jared out of it, gave him the hiding places. I'd send him to bed early so that he wouldn't see my dad. I tried to keep him safe. "

"I'm sure that you did what you could. You were just a child yourself."

Booth nodded, swallowed and kept talking. "One day, my dad just disappeared. I was playing catch with Jared, and I dented my dad's car. It was an accident, but my dad marched me into the house and he just started whaling on me. He'd never hit me so hard before. He must have knocked me out, and when I woke up, my grandfather was there. My Pops, I call him Pops. Anyway, he said that my dad had left and that he was going to take care of me and Jared."

"He raised you after your father left. That was very good of him." She sighed with relief, glad that someone had stepped up to take care of him; that after all of the hurt, Booth had had someone who wanted him, who loved him.

"He saved me, in more ways than one. I want you to meet him. You and Lucy. He'll love both of you. I've wanted you to meet him for awhile now, I just didn't want to have to tell you about why I was so close with my grandfather. I didn't want you to ask questions about my family. I'm sorry about that."

Brennan nodded. "You know that I don't like talking about my past either. Once, in foster care, my foster parents locked me in the trunk of a car for two days as punishment for breaking a dish."

Booth looked up, his jaw hanging. "What?"

She spoke clearly, but Booth could see the shimmer of tears cloud her eyes, and he'd been so focused on himself he wasn't sure how long they had been floating there. "I broke a dish, I knew that the punishment would be severe, but the water was so hot and the soap was so slippery."

"Oh, baby, it wasn't your fault. They shouldn't have done that to you." He let go of her hand in order to wrap his arm around his shoulders and pull her close, his thumb rubbing circles on her shoulder.

"I know that now, I knew... I knew that then. But I didn't know how to stand up for myself. I didn't know how to protect myself. I though that if I wished hard enough, my parents would come back and rescue me. I hoped that Russ would move back and get a job and tell the social worker that he would take care of me. And when my wishes didn't come to fruition, I stopped making them. I stopped hoping for things to change. After that event, I knew that if I wanted things to change, I had to make them change myself. I studied even harder, I took up karate, I found a lawyer to help me get emancipated. But I closed myself off, I wouldn't let anybody in. I didn't want to let anybody hurt me, not ever again."

"But you've changed."

"I don't think that I have." She scoffed as he continued to rub her shoulder.

Booth pressed a kiss into her temple. "Ah, there's that psychology that you hate again. You try not to show it, but you let everyone in. You care about people. You care about our victims, you care about your daughter, your team. You try to hide it, but I can see it. I see you, Bones. _You_ let me see you. It's one of the things that I like most about you."

Brennan blushed at the compliment, then looked at quizzically at her partner. "Weren't we talking about you?"

Booth let out a soft chuckle. "We were. Let's see where did I leave off? Oh yeah, my Pops. He was an MP, worked hard for a living, and gave up a lot to take care of Jared and me. He taught me everything that I know about discipline, about integrity, about love. I owe him a lot. Part of the reason that I joined the Army was because of his influence. I wanted him to be proud of me. It was a place where I belonged. I joined the Rangers, did my duty, even when it was hard."

"Even when you had to snipe people." Her comment was blunt, but held no malice. She was just trying to fit all of these new pieces of information into what she already knew about her partner. He appreciated the effort, even as he cringed inwardly.

"Yeah, even then. The worst part of the job wasn't even pulling the trigger, although you know how hard that was for me. The worst part was losing the friends that I had made. There was this one kid, Teddy, he was practically a baby. I trained him, I mentored him. We were close, and then I screwed up, and he died. I still dream about him at night, about the day that he died. I still wonder Corporal Parker died and I lived."

"Parker?" Her head had snapped up at the familiar name.

"Yeah."

"I always just assumed that Rebecca picked out the name."

Booth shook his head. "No, it was my idea. She just liked the name, and agreed to it. I just didn't tell her the whole story behind it."

Brennan nodded as she leaned her head against his shoulder, once again seeking and receiving comfort.

Booth sighed, "It's part of the reason that I still go to church, why I still wear this medal around my neck." He fingered the chain that held the image of St. Christopher. "If I'd lost my faith, I would have lost everything. But I have to believe that there was a purpose, a plan behind it all. Maybe, it's destiny that two lost, broken souls like us found each other over a dead body. Maybe it was fate that led me to you. Don't you believe in fate?"

"No, that's ludicrous." She laughed at the very suggestion.

"Well, I do. Can I tell you one more story?"

"You can always tell me anything."

He rested his cheek on the top of her head. "After I got out of the Army, I took up gambling. I would win big and then lose it all, and I didn't really care. Then, I took up pool. I'd usually win, so I didn't consider it a problem. But it was. It wasn't until I had Parker that I knew that I had to be better, that I had to give it up. My old man used booze to solve his problems, I wasn't going to let gambling come between me and my son."

Realization dawned on her, "That's why you always carry along that poker chip?"

"It's part of it. Even when I got most of the gambling under control, I'd still sneak off sometimes. I'd go off to this seedy bar and play some pool. I can play a game or two and not fall back into it. I'm stronger now than I was back then."

Brennan couldn't help lecturing him. "Still you should avoid the temptation."

"Ah, but Bones. You aren't letting me finish the story."

She scrunched her nose. "Well then, please, continue."

"Anyway, about a year ago, I met this girl. And then I met her mother. We started spending time together, we bonded. And after we started hanging out, I didn't need the gambling. I didn't need to sneak off and play pool."

Brennan frowned, "So, what you're saying is that Lucy and I are an addiction for you?"

Booth chuckled a bit, his voice low in her ear. "In a way, a good way. When I'm with you and Lucy and Parker, I don't need anything else." His voice was nothing more than a whisper as he continued, "And when it's late and quiet and it's just the two of us, well, I'm pretty OK with that too."

Brennan once again used his name as an admonishment, but Booth wasn't quite done yet. "Bones, the two of us together, we're something special. Don't tell me that you don't know it. All those months ago, we went out to dinner and we ended up making out in the car and on your couch. That night, you wrapped yourself around me and used my chest as your pillow. I know you felt it then, and I know that you feel it now. It's something special."

Brennan was thoughtful for a long moment, sitting up and once again not looking at her partner. Her voice was also just a whisper in response, "I don't want to disappoint you."

Once again, Booth looked over at his partner with a shocked expression. "Disappoint me? How?"

"I told you that I'm not good with relationships. That is what you want. You want hand-holding and candlelit dinners and bringing me flowers for an apology when you do something wrong."

"And what's wrong with that?" It sounded good to Booth.

"That's not me. We wouldn't work as a couple and when this doesn't work out, we will be disappointed. And it will affect Lucy and Parker, and our jobs."

"And just think what it will do to Angela." Booth attempted to inject some levity into their heavy discussion.

Brennan smiled at that. "Exactly, I'm glad that you see my point. It would be fruitless to pursue a romantic relationship. Yes, we are physically attracted to each other, and over the past year we have developed an emotional connection, but it has to be as far as it goes."

He couldn't believe her. "Why? You told me that when things settled down, when you had time to adjust, we could re-evaluate."

"And I have. I appreciate everything that you have done for Lucy and for me, but I just don't think that it is advisable at this time."

"Temperance, you don't have to be scared. I'm not going to leave you. And I'm not going to hurt you, or Lucy. I would never hurt you. I care about you too much."

She nodded a slight acceptance. "I know that."

"No, you don't. Not yet, but you will. I'll prove it to you." He pressed his lips to her temple again, brushing a loose strand of hair off of her cheek. "Let me prove it to you, please." He was practically begging her, but he didn't care.

"OK."

"OK?" He still couldn't believe her.

"Yes, I can't promise that I will be successful at this type of relationship."

"You can do anything that you set your mind to." He firmly believed that.

She blushed, "I'd like to try."

"Really?" Booth's face split into a childish grin, still not believing what he had heard.

"Really." Brennan nodded. Any further conversation was stopped by the press of Booth's lips on hers. She instantly responded and deepened the kiss. They re-enacted the night from months ago, together on the couch, neither quite believing that they had finally found themselves back in the same position.

Finally, Brennan broke the connection, but rested her head on Booth's chest, absorbing his warmth as they both calmed their erratic breathing. They remained in the same position, Booth rubbing lazy circles onto his partner's back, as she continued to relax. She was just about to fall asleep when Booth's voice broke the silence. "Hey, Bones, I should get going. It's late."

Brennan gave a half-hearted nod, raising her head from his chest. "Or you could stay."

Booth pressed another kiss to her lips. "I'd like to, really, I would. But, we're both exhausted, mentally and physically. We should call it a night, and start fresh. Just promise me that you won't change your mind. Promise me that you won't wake up and decide that this was all a mistake."

She looked him straight in the eye and kissed him. "I'll try."

"That's good enough for now. We'll work on it. I should really get going. But, I'll call you. And I am taking you out dancing, soon."

Brennan gave him a brief nod, and after one more quick kiss, he let himself out of the apartment, feeling like he was floating on air. He was already looking for his car when he remembered that he had walked here. It was a long haul back to the Jeffersonian, but he didn't mind. He felt light, euphoric even. As difficult as it had been for him to talk about his past, it felt wonderful to be free of its burden. And Cam had been right, Brennan didn't look at him any differently, she still wanted him around, she still cared about him. She still wanted him.

Brennan, for her part, propped herself against her locked door. She felt a bit overwhelmed at the turn of events this evening. She hadn't expected to have so many emotions coursing through her. She felt sad for Booth, that he had experienced so much trauma, so early in life. She felt proud of herself, pleased that she had been able to overcome her own tragedies to become successful.

But mostly, she felt happy. She was still unsure that she could maintain a stable romantic relationship with anybody, but for the first time in a long time, she wanted to try. She was happy. Brennan brushed her fingers across her smiling lips and pushed herself off from the door. It wasn't a new feeling, but it was the first time that she was willing to admit it. He made her happy.


	40. I Will Dance With You

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Author's Note: I've been trying to update this story more regularly, so look at this, another update in the same week! Crazy I know. I'm glad that you enjoyed the last chapter, and hope that you will enjoy this one. Just a bit of fluff before the premier later today!

Chapter 39: I Will Dance With You

October 13, 2006

Lucy addressed the bathroom mirror one more time before turning to her mother, "Do I look OK?"

Brennan nodded, "You look very nice."

"Really?" Her wide blue eyes looked up at her mother in disbelief.

"Do I ever lie to you?" Brennan reached out and adjusted some stray hairs, returning them to their proper curl.

"No," Lucy looked up in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I'm just nervous."

"It's your first school dance, it is alright to be anxious." Brennan rested a comforting palm on her daughter's shoulder, trying to ease her concern.

"What if no one wants to dance with me?" Lucy bit her bottom lip, telling her mother the true reason behind her anxiety.

Brennan was confused, her daughter was gregarious, and while not the most popular girl in school, she had never had experienced the loneliness and isolation that Brennan had as a girl. "Why do you think that no one will want to dance with you?"

"Because I don't look like the other girls." Lucy huffed in exasperation, looking once again in the mirror and frowning at her reflection.

"Excuse me?"

"You know the girls from your case this week. Their hair was perfect, and their teeth were perfect, and they just looked... they just looked perfect, and that's not me."

Brennan wasn't sure exactly how to respond, so she started with a lecture. "Lucy, you shouldn't have looked at those files. You know that it's against the rules."

"I know, but they were on the table, and I was curious, I'm sorry."

"Lucy, just because those girls looked pretty in a picture, it doesn't mean that they were pretty on the inside." Lucy raised an eyebrow at her mother, whatever she was talking about seemed much too metaphorical. Especially for a Brennan. "Those girls were not very nice, and they were far from perfect." She didn't feel the need to explain that one of those girls in a picture in her file had actually been responsible for the death of one of the other girls.

"So, it's alright that I don't look like them?"

"You look like you. I don't see what is wrong with that."

Lucy frowned again at her reflection, "But I don't look like the other girls in my class either."

Brennan eyed her daughter, appraising her silently. Since the moment that the doctor had placed the squalling, red girl in her arms, Brennan had thought that her daughter was beautiful. Rationally, she knew that there was no such thing as perfection, but her daughter was as close to perfect as it was possible for a girl to be. Brennan had never wavered in that dedication. But now, Brennan turned her forensic anthropology skills on her daughter.

Lucy had had a large growth spurt during the year, and despite being the youngest girl in the class, she was one of the tallest. Her limbs were long and lanky, giving her a slightly gawky appearance. Lucy's teeth were generally straight, but braces would be appearing in the near future. And although Brennan herself nearly winced at the realization, nothing could stop her from noting the beginning stages of puberty. Her daughter was changing, from a girl to a woman, a universally awkward experience. It was also a biological inevitability, but that thought was a cold comfort to Brennan. Likely Lucy was worried about the classmates who were already far ahead of her on that particular curve.

Brennan could remember her own painful teenage years, even before her parents had left. She remembered the end of one school year, singing Cyndi Lauper songs on the back of the bus with the other girls on the way home from a field trip. And the next school year, those same girls who had called her singing 'rad,' wouldn't even sit at the same lunch table with her. She didn't understand how one summer could change people so suddenly.

Those girls had come back to school wearing mascara and perfume, and were only interested in talking about boys, and Tempe just didn't even fit in with them anymore. Brennan's own mother had tried to explain it to her, but despite Brennan's intellectual maturity, the social maturity hadn't followed. The chasm between her and her peers had just widened over time, and by the time she was fifteen, and alone, she had given up trying.

Brennan couldn't stop the stab of worry in her chest. She didn't want Lucy to fall behind her peers, she didn't want her daughter to ever feel lonely. She didn't want her daughter to have to eat alone at a lunch table, not knowing why nobody else would join her. She wanted her daughter to be happy.

Lucy had stopped staring at her reflection and had turned back to her mother, waiting on some sort of response. Brennan knew that questions like the ones that Lucy had just asked were only going to become more frequent as Lucy continued to grow up. Brennan wished that she could go and call Angela and learn what the right response was supposed to be. Angela had always been an excellent consultant in matters such as these. But Lucy was standing here, now. She was waiting for an answer, and Brennan had to say something.

Brennan smiled softly at her offspring. Rational or not, her daughter _was_ perfect. "Well, I think that you look perfectly appropriate for the dance. But in case you don't feel ready, here." With a sudden inspiration, Brennan rummaged through one of the drawers, pulling out a strawberry-flavored lip gloss that Angela had forced Brennan to buy during some shopping spree in the past. She unscrewed the cap and carefully applied some of the gloss to her daughter's lips. "I think that this is what they call 'the finishing touch.' What do you think?"

Lucy rubbed her lips together, and smiled. "I like it. Thanks, Mom."

Brennan handed the girl the gloss and Lucy dutifully tucked it into her jeans. "You look very nice. You will fit right in with your peers. Now, I'm sure that there will be plenty of people to dance with. It is just your schoolmates, you know them. And they like you, I'm sure that you will be fine. Besides, you are going with Madison. As your best friend, it is her duty to dance with you if no one else will, so Angela informs me."

Booth appeared at that moment, wrapping his arm around Brennan's waist. "Alright, what's the hold up here? I know girls take forever to get ready, but forever is a _really_ long time." Brennan scowled in his direction as he silently apologized for the quip with a dazzling smile. He turned his focus to the girl and he whistled as he looked at Lucy's sparkling outfit. "Hey, Squirt. You look great!"

Lucy's eyes lit up. "Really? Thanks!"

Brennan huffed in exasperation as she eyed first her daughter and then her partner warily, "How come when I tell her that she looks nice, she doesn't believe me; but when you tell her the same thing, she believes you?"

Booth shrugged, "It's all part of the Booth charm." He pressed a soft kiss onto Brennan's cheek and Brennan blushed slightly. Lucy grinned as she watched their easy affection. She was still waiting for them to sit her down and have 'the talk,' but no one seemed to be rushing it. Lucy didn't mind the lack of discussion, she had been waiting for this event to occur for a long time. Now, she was just waiting for the official confirmation. Lucy thought that they were cute together, she just knew not to tell her mother that.

"Are you satisfied with your appearance?" Brennan asked her daughter. At Lucy's nod, Brennan pulled herself out of Booth's embrace, retreating to the living room, satisfied that the current crisis was over.

Booth watched Brennan walk away before turning back to the girl. "So, Squirt, ready for your first junior high dance?"

"I guess so." She turned back to the mirror and once again fluffed her hair, feeling better about her looks, but now nervous about other things.

"You don't sound very excited." Booth frowned, he'd been eavesdropping long enough to think that Lucy would now be confident and ready for this first major social event.

"I'm not a very good dancer."

Booth's face lit up. This was a problem that he could solve. "Well, I can help you with that. I'm a great dancer. Let's get out to the living room, we've got time for a lesson before you go." He reached for her hand and Lucy eagerly took it.

Booth jauntily marched down the hallway, practically dragging Lucy behind him as he called for his partner. "Bones, we need some tunes. Where's your Foreigner CD?"

Brennan had settled herself onto her sofa with an article, which now blocked half of her face as she looked over the top to stare at Booth. "What?"

"Squirt here needs a dancing lesson before we send her off to her mixer. We need a little 'Hot Blooded.' It'll get the blood pumpin' and our feet dancin'. We don't have a lot of time. Chop chop, Bones."

Brennan set her article down with a resigned sigh and approached her music collection. "Are you sure? The last time we listened to that song, I lost a refrigerator. And you fractured your ribs."

Booth waved his hand in a dismissive motion. "It's _our_ song." He didn't need to provide further convincing, as Brennan was already removing the CD from its case. Soon the familiar guitar riffs were playing over the speakers. "Turn it up, Bones! It's party time."

Brennan turned up the volume and watched as Booth pushed away the coffee table in order to create more dancing room. "OK Squirt, the key here is to have fun, no matter what." Brennan continued to stare as Booth had Lucy laughing hysterically over his renditions of moves that he called 'the lightbulb,' 'the sprinkler,' and 'the shopping cart.'

Lucy imitated him, looking ridiculous right along with him, but she was smiling and laughing, and dancing. Brennan breathed a sigh of relief as the smile on Lucy's face outlasted the song. Even when Brennan struggled with Lucy's trials and tribulations, she knew now that she had Booth to turn to. It wasn't the first time that she had that particular thought, but she was surprised by the strength of it. It made her feel warm inside, as ridiculous as that sounded to her.

As the next song began to play, Booth showed Lucy the finer points of air guitar as Brennan continued to observe. Eventually, Lucy pulled Booth down so that she could whisper something to him. He nodded and made his way over to Brennan's CD collection, making his selection carefully. Satisfied with his choice, Foreigner stopped blaring as Booth changed the discs. Brennan raised a quizzical brow, until she heard the soft strains of a Sinatra song come across the speakers.

He trotted over to Lucy, and extended his hand in a gentlemanly fashion, asking her for the pleasure of the next dance. She nodded and he carefully placed their hands in proper slow dance form. The took a few tentative steps around the makeshift dance floor, Lucy concentrating very hard on her footwork. "Now Squirt, when all these boys are asking you to dance, remember to keep room for the Holy Spirit." He indicated the wide space between the two of them. Lucy and Brennan both gazed at him with an odd look of disapproval. He ignored the look and continued to instruct her on some basic moves. They were soon gliding along the floor, as well as an FBI agent and an eleven year old girl could glide anyway.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door as Madison and her father arrived to escort Lucy to her dance. Lucy hugged her mother before squeezing Booth extra hard. She pecked his cheek and then scampered off to grab her jacket and her overnight bag.

Brennan and Madison's father made plans to retrieve Lucy after her dance and sleepover and soon the girls were waving goodbye, both now excited for the dance and speaking rapidly in high-pitched voices. Brennan called after them as they made their way toward the elevator, "Have fun!" Lucy waved and said that she would as she hurried to catch up to her friend.

Brennan closed and locked the door, a pensive expression on her face. Booth sidled up to her and asked her what was wrong. She sighed as she saw the concern in her partner's eyes. "I just worry that I will be inadequate when Lucy struggles in the future. I don't know how to help her."

Booth stood squarely in front of her and grabbed both of her hands with his own. "Hey, hey, Bones. You are a great mother, you don't have to worry about that. You can help her through anything and everything."

Brennan's lips twitched. "I don't know, I was such an awkward child, and I didn't have any typical teenage years. I don't know what to say to her, to help guide her. I know that she is going to have questions and concerns and I don't know that I will know how to answer or address them."

"Listen to me. That girl was nervous and scared twenty minutes ago, and she left here excited and smiling. You did that."

She shook her head. "No, you did. You told her that she looked great, and she believed you. _You_ showed her how to dance, and _you_ made her excited about it. It was all you."

"Nah, I just gave her a few pointers. You made her feel better about herself, you were honest and direct and..."

Brennan's jaw dropped. "And you were spying on us!"

"No, I wasn't. Well, I didn't mean to, I was just wondering what was taking you so long, and then I didn't want to interrupt. You did fine, and you'll do fine. You're her mother and you love her. That's all she really needs. Now, no more of this self-doubt. You'll be fine, better than fine, you'll be great. And she'll be fine too."

Before Brennan could protest again, Booth had pulled her to the empty space in her living room and into his embrace. He swayed with her as Frank continued to croon in the background. He held her close and she smirked at him. "You aren't leaving any room for the Holy Spirit." His response was to pull her tighter and she found that the most comfortable position for her was to rest her head on his shoulder as he continued to slowly spin her around the room.

They were quiet for a long time, just listening to the music and dancing together. Eventually, Booth brushed his lips along her hairline and whispered to her. "Now, I know that I promised to take you out dancing, but this is pretty nice too, right?" Brennan merely grunted her assent, and burrowed herself more deeply into his chest.

After a few more minutes of silence, Brennan raised her head slightly. "I'm glad that you're here, Booth. With me. With us."

Booth's heart swelled in his chest and he leaned in to tenderly kiss her lips. He pulled back and spoke softly in her ear. "I'll be here whenever you want me to be, Baby. I'll always be here."

Brennan nodded and tucked her head back into the space where his shoulder met his neck, willing to stay in his warm embrace for awhile longer. She still didn't believe that people would stay by her side. But she was really starting to hope that _he_ would.

* * *

Her mother and Booth had been right, Lucy was having fun. For the most part, the DJ had played popular fast songs, and Lucy had found herself in the middle of the dance floor with a large group of girls bouncing around. They had formed a circle and every once in awhile one girl would jump into the center and show off a move. Lucy and Madison had great success with a mirror performance of 'the sprinkler.'

When the first slow dance had started to play, the group had scattered, and Lucy had decided that refreshments would be a good distraction, not wanting to stand against the wall and wait for someone to approach her. Besides, she had been dancing rather vigorously, and she was thirsty.

Lucy had just finished the small cup of juice that a chaperon had given her, when a voice called to her from the dim gymnasium. "Hey, Lucy." The seventh grade heart-throb quickly approached her once he had her attention.

"Hi, Carter." She tossed her cup into a nearby trash can and waited for him to say something. They both shifted a little, trying to distract from the awkwardness that they both felt.

Carter looked bravely down at his shoes. "You look really nice tonight. Your hair looks nice like that, all curly and stuff."

"Thanks, my mom helped me." She smiled at the compliment, and Carter found the courage to meet her eye.

"Yeah, it looks real nice."

This time it was Lucy who found herself staring down. "You already said that."

"Right, umm yeah." He shifted again on the balls of his feet.

Another slow song started playing in the distance, and Lucy looked up at the boy. "Hey, Carter?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you like to dance?"


	41. All Around Cowboy

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Author's Note: Hey look, I did it again. Another update. Enjoy.

Chapter 40: All Around Cowboy

October 26, 2006 Las Vegas, Nevada

Booth opened the hotel room door, hearing the tail end of Brennan's conversation with her daughter. Even with the time difference, it was awfully early in DC, but she must have promised to call Lucy when the case had been solved, no matter the time. She held up a finger to silence him as she said her good-byes to her daughter. He leaned against the open door frame and just watched her as she relaxed on the bed in that tiny red dress with her sky high heels lying haphazardly on the floor. "I love you, too. Have a good day at school. Yes, we will be home later today. Be good for Angela."

At the click of Brennan's phone, Booth closed the hotel room door and slid over the deadbolt for good measure. "Are you done talking to Lucy?"

"Yes, she and Angela say hello." Brennan blushed and turned away from Booth, rising from the bed turning down her side of the sheets. The plan was to nap for a few hours and then catch a flight home.

"Did they say something else?" Booth couldn't keep from teasing her, noticing the flush in her cheeks.

"No, nothing important." But Brennan's eyes still didn't quite reach Booth's. They were undercover and pretending to be engaged to be engaged. He could only imagine Angela's innuendos if she caught wind of that fact. Especially since he was pretty sure that Angela had heard Booth helping Brennan with her zipper, during their call the other day.

Brennan gathered up her shoes and cell phone, straightening her various piles of belongings. "Were you able to make your statement to the Vegas Bureau?"

"Yeah, no problem. We're good to go. And Joe is in protective custody. He'll be alright."

Brennan now gave him a critical stare. "And you were OK coming through the lobby on your own?"

Booth nodded, removing his jacket and uncovering the blood-soaked undershirt that stuck to his skin. He had managed the lights and the noise without her. "I was just fine. I promise."

Brennan stared at the filthy shirt for a long moment. "I was concerned about you."

Booth sighed. "It's not a problem anymore. I'm OK, really." And he was fine, but he was also sore, and tired, and still a little jumpy. He yawned and asked her if she was ready for a few hours of shut-eye. Brennan nodded and quickly stepped in front of him and turned, sweeping her hair to the side. Booth swallowed heavily as he took her cue that she needed help unzipping her dress. He could have sworn that the dress had gotten even smaller since she had started wearing it. He found the zipper, and his hands felt overly large and clumsy as they grasped the small pull. He closed his eyes and tugged.

Brennan stepped away, oblivious to the tension that was welling up inside of Booth at the hint of her bare back. She slipped into the bathroom to change into her pajamas, but kept the door ajar. She called to Booth as she finished readying herself for bed. "You know, Angela is expecting us to get drunk and end up getting married by an Elvis Impersonator. She told me that this is a city that never sleeps, and that it's not too late to take you out and celebrate. I told her that she was being ridiculous."

Booth stopped riffling through his belongings for a suitable sleeping outfit. He didn't quite know the proper way to address that statement. It was definitely safer not to mention marriage, that topic couldn't go anywhere safe. He instead went for levity. His voice was calm, even as his heart still pounded. "No way, if I'm going the cheesy Vegas route, then I need to find Captain Kirk."

Brennan emerged from the bathroom, wiping her damp face with a towel. "So you're saying that getting married by a captain would outrank getting married by a king? That seems illogical." Booth just stared at Brennan as his jaw dropped. She scrunched her nose at his expression. "What, did I get it wrong? Isn't Elvis commonly referred to as the King?"

"No, Bones, you got that right. I'm just surprised that you know who the King is."

She shrugged. "Lucy went through a phase several years ago. She and Angela watched his films for an entire summer. I went to El Salvador for three weeks and came back to Lucy curling her lip and responding 'thank you very much' every time I assisted her with a task. It was quite amusing, actually." Brennan chuckled a bit at the memory.

"Sounds like it." He yawned again, unintentionally changing the subject. "Mind if I use the bathroom?" Booth picked up his pile of clothes and turned away from his partner at her nod.

He entered the bathroom and turned on the shower, making sure that the water was steaming hot. He stepped under the stinging pulse and groaned his relief as the water worked at his muscles. He stayed under the spray for a long time, thinking about the case, about the fight, and definitely trying to not think about Brennan as Roxie. Roxie with the sassy mouth, and the big hair, and the tall shoes, and those little dresses.

Yeah, n_ot_ thinking about Roxie wasn't helping. Booth turned the knob on the shower and the temperature plunged. He yelped a bit as the freezing water hit him and he heard Brennan calling to him, asking him if he was alright.

His reply of "just fine" was slightly strangled and he shut off the water with a bit more force than was strictly necessary. He parted the shower doors and grabbed for a towel, wrapping it low on his hips. He wiped some stray water out of his eyes and yelped again when he realized that Brennan was standing in the small room with him.

"Bones, what are you doing in here?"

She gave him a small frown and looked down at her outstretched hands. In one hand there was a large glass of water, in the other several pain killers. "I figured that you would need these."

He checked to make sure that the knot on his towel was secure and reached for the glass and the pills. "Thanks." He tossed the tablets into his mouth and took a long drag of water, missing Brennan's rather enthusiastic perusal of his body. She'd seen him in nothing but swim trunks over the summer, but it seemed so different to be watching him in the middle of a steamy bathroom. She could just reach her hand out and grab that white towel...

She shook her head and took a small step back from him. She'd never been shy about sex before, in the past she just took what she wanted, but with Booth it was different. She wasn't sure why. And she didn't have time to try and explain it. He had finished gulping down the water, and was holding the empty glass out at her. She gently took it from him and placed it on the counter next to the sink where she had also laid out various medical supplies.

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Um, exactly how long have you been in here?"

"Never mind that. Here, let me make sure that your wounds are clean. I wouldn't want you to get an infection. Take a seat." She placed one hand on each of his shoulders and guided him to the toilet, where she forced him to sit.

He sat there, watching her as she tended his wounds. He flinched and hissed as she disinfected his cuts, and breathed sighs of relief when she rubbed in a soothing ointment where necessary. A few bandages in strategic places and he was almost as good as new. She ran her fingers gently over a few of his facial cuts before moving to caress his forehead and then weave her hand through his hair. Eventually, Booth reached up and gently placed his hand around her wrist, stopping the soothing caresses.

They were technically dating, but they weren't rushing anything. As if they'd even had time to rush recently. In fact, aside from a few stolen kisses and a little more hand-holding (after hours and away from work of course), their life hadn't changed much. They'd both been busy, and busy apart from each other at that. She'd been out of town to give a short lecture series in Montreal, and then he'd been consulting on a RICO case. Then there had been the discovery of a body found frozen in the Alaskan tundra. The remains had been sent to her for identification, and she'd toiled with the project for days, working long hours that only her daughter's needs had ended. And when they'd finally gotten a case together, it had been this trip to Vegas.

The bureau had paid for two rooms, but they had shared this one. She rationalized the choice as being more convenient for the case. It gave them a chance to discuss it at all hours. He decided that it was better for keeping up appearances once he'd decided that they needed to go undercover. And there hadn't been any time to discuss the subconscious reasons for their choice. It had been all business, until now.

Booth tugged her hand away from his scalp, giving her a small smile as he stood up. "Let me get dressed." Booth cleared his throat. "Uh, I'll be out in a minute."

He released his grip on her wrist, and Brennan rubbed her now free hand along his chest. It was an intimate gesture. She seemed to still be reassuring herself that he was fine, that the fight hadn't injured him too severely. It didn't seem like Brennan was trying to seduce him, although, if she was, her approach didn't need any work.

Before he could travel down that particular road, he scooted away from her touch. He grabbed for his clothes and held them to his body, making a flimsy barrier between them. Brennan seemed to get the hint, and removed herself from the bathroom, which was still clouded with moisture from the shower, and Booth wasn't sure if it was the mugginess or her touch that was making it difficult for him to breathe.

He dressed quickly and followed Brennan into their shared room. She had tucked herself into her side of the bed, and Booth's heart thumped an extra beat when he realized that fact. She had _her_ side of the bed, and he had _his_. She had untucked his side for him, and he soon found himself snuggled next to her, not quite touching her, but sensing her presence in the now darkened room.

His voice broke the silence after several moments of lying next to each other. "So what was the, uh, second reason?

She shifted to her side in order to face him on the bed. "What?"

"Uh, you never told me the second reason why, uh, why you bet on me."

She angled her face so that the pillow covered it more thoroughly, "Yeah, it was...silly."

Booth scooted a little closer to her on the bed. "Well, come on. Try me."

Her crooked smile lit up her face, even though Booth couldn't quite make it out in the dim light of the room. "Beginner's Luck. I haven't lost at anything since I've been here. So, well, I... I figured if I bet on you, then..."

"I couldn't lose." Booth had to hold in a chuckle. His rational, objective partner had put her money on an old superstition, in the vague belief that it might help him. He was touched. She may have been pretending to be Roxie at the fight club, but that move was all Brennan.

"Sounds silly, right?" She was once again trying to hide in the crease of her pillow.

"No, it sounds familiar. Thanks." He reached over to brush a tendril of hair off of her cheek.

"You're welcome." She shifted on the bed, so that their bodies were flush against each other. She liked his warmth pressed against her side. She had spent so many nights alone in a cold bed, she could get used this change.

Booth adjusted his own body, so that he could rest his arm across her body, pulling her just a bit tighter against him. "We should sleep while we can." There was no response, just a sigh as Brennan slipped into dreamland. Booth quickly followed her.

* * *

"Booth, wake up. Wake up, Booth!" Booth bolted upright, panting heavily. Brennan's hands were on his shoulder, and her grip was tight against his still sore muscles.

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, breaking from Brennan's death grip. "What's wrong?"

"You were having some sort of nightmare. You were thrashing and moaning, and I was..."

"I'm OK. I don't even remember what it was about." She raised an eyebrow. "Honestly, I don't. It's just, after the fight, all bruised and stuff, it must have triggered something."

"But you're OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Booth's ragged breathing calmed and he laid back down in the bed, pulling Brennan with him. The room darkening shades worked a miracle, only letting a few rays of early morning sun into the room. Booth squinted at the clock, they could sleep for two more hours before they would have to check out of their hotel and head home. He'd take two more hours with her in his arms. He let out a harsh breath as her head rested on a bruise on his chest. She tried to pull back, but Booth just tightened his grip.

"It's fine. Let's just sleep. We've got a couple more hours."

Brennan hummed in agreement, relaxing against Booth. She tilted her head up and pressed a gentle kiss along his jaw-line. He responded with a kiss of his own on the crown of her head. Two more hours, and the spell would be broken. They'd pack their bags and head for the airport, back to their regularly scheduled life in DC. No more Tony and Roxie, just back to plain old Booth and Brennan.

Then again, they weren't just plain old Booth and Brennan. Not anymore. Together they were amazing, extraordinary even. They'd already proved that fact with their jobs, and they were on their way to proving it in other aspects of their lives. The magic wouldn't have to disappear in two hours. Booth wouldn't let it. Brennan let out another involuntary sigh against his chest, already asleep. Yes, Booth could definitely get used to this.


	42. 25 Minutes to Go

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Author's Note: So there was a little bit of a delay from the last chapter to this chapter. I know exactly where I want the next couple of chapters to go, but I was having some difficulty getting the characters to agree with me. This chapter just did not want to be written. But here it is, anyway. Enjoy.

Chapter 41: 25 Minutes to Go

November 8, 2006

Booth was laughing with Cam over a plate of fries and his hatred of musicals when his phone rang. Still laughing, he answered the call.

"Hey, Squirt. What's up?"

"Hey FBI Guy, can I talk to my mom? She's not answering her cell phone, so I figured that she was with you, stuck on a case. She missed our karate lessons, so time must have really gotten away from her. But I'd kind of like to go home now, so I need a ride."

Booth's residual chuckles faded away. "Uh, she's not here with me." He covered the phone with his hand and glanced at Cam. "You see Bones?"

Cam's eyebrow raised. "No, she left before me. I thought she was busy tonight, that's why you deigned to have dinner with your old friend."

Booth swallowed the sudden lump in his throat and uncovered the speaker. "Hey, Lucy. I'll pick you up. Give me the address." He committed the place to memory as Lucy recited the location. "OK, I'm on my way. You stay inside. There's an adult around that can stay with you right?"

"Yeah, there's another class now, it's got some older kids, but nobody will mind if I stick around a little bit."

Booth exhaled a breath. "OK, I'll be there in ten. Call me if you hear from your mother, or if she shows up." At Lucy's agreement, he hung up the phone and fished money out of his wallet.

"I've gotta go. Bones never made it to her karate lesson."

"Excuse me?"

There was a bit of panic in the agent's voice. "Bones and Lucy, they have karate on Wednesday nights. Bones left the lab to get there on time. But she never showed up."

Cam tossed her own cash onto the small pile that Booth had created. "What can I do?"

"I don't know. Call Angela, see if she knows where Bones could have gotten to. I'll try Bones' cell. See if I can get a hold of her. I've gotta go get Lucy. Let me know if you hear anything."

Cam's eyes followed Booth as he marched out of the diner, noting the intensity and purpose in his walk. As soon as the door had closed behind him, Cam pulled out her own cell and dialed the artist. There was no times for pleasantries, and Cam got straight to the point. "Angela, have you seen Dr. Brennan?"

Angela looked up from her computer screen and glanced at the clock in her office. She'd been so focused, that she didn't realize how much time had passed since she had sent Hodgins out to share his data with Brennan. "No, she's supposed to be at karate."

"Lucy just called, Brennan never made it there."

Angela nearly dropped her phone. She hurried out of her office, looking for her friend at first. When she wasn't on the platform or in her office, Angela tried searching for Hodgins. She tried to find him in his usual nooks and crannies. She was silent on the phone as she continued on her journey through the lab. Eventually Cam broke the silence. "Angela, are you still there?"

"Yes, I'm here. But..."

"But?"

"Hodgins isn't. He tried to catch Bren before she left for the day. He hasn't come back. Cam, you don't think... It couldn't... No..."

"I'm coming back to the lab. I'm going to call Booth. You need to find Zack and see if he has seen Hodgins. Maybe, the two of them got a crack in the case, and decided to do something crazy."

Angela pursed her lips, doubtful, but still hunting for the entomologist. "But wouldn't they have called us? Let us know what is going on? Bren would have called Booth, wouldn't she?"

At the artist's rather labored breathing, Cam hurried a little quicker back to the lab. It was her job to keep a level head, and keep other heads level as well. "Angela, calm down and find Zack. I'll be there in a few minutes. Just take a few deep breaths. Keep breathing. We'll figure this out."

* * *

Lucy said good bye to her sparring partner as she ran to collect her things when Booth entered the studio. She was damp with sweat, and energized from her exercise, but Booth could see the anxiety in her expressive eyes. She tried a flippant tone as she blew a stray strand of hair out of her face. "FBI Guy, took you long enough."

"Sorry, I was on the phone with Cam. Anyway, I'm here." A formidable man wearing a black belt approached the duo, eying Booth warily. Booth respected the instructor, even if he was just protecting his own back. You couldn't just send a child home with any adult who showed up.

Lucy introduced the two men. "This is my mom's partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth. He has permission to pick me up, he's on my emergency contact list too."

The instructor nodded. He really was a man of few words when it came to men in suits, especially ones that carried guns. "Take care then, Lucy. See you next week. Say hi to your mom for me. Sorry she got stuck at work today."

Lucy nodded, bowed to her instructor, and hurried Booth out of the studio as fast as she could. When they were alone, she turned to face the agent. "Where's Mom?"

Booth didn't want to worry the girl, but the news wasn't good. Especially, since Hodgins seemed to have disappeared as well. Apparently, Angela was in panic mode, and even Zack was a bit ruffled. Neither Brennan nor Hodgins were answering their phones, despite a multitude of calls; everything just went to voice mail.

Booth was on his way back to the lab, when his phone beeped indicating a new message. He wasn't sure how he could have missed a call, he'd been hyper-vigilant knowing that his partner was missing in action. Booth twisted the steering wheel and slammed on the brakes when he first heard the distorted voice mail left by the Gravedigger. His face paled and then twinged green as Lucy called his name in worry, shifting in the backseat of the SUV.

"Booth, what's wrong? Is it Mom? Answer me!" Her voice had grown more panicked and higher pitched as he listened to the message again, not saying anything. Booth found that he was having trouble getting fresh air into his lungs, and his inability to breathe also prevented him from answering her.

Booth forced a smile onto his face as he turned back into traffic, changing his original destination. There was no way that Lucy could be taken back to the lab now. He had to protect her. He wasn't sure exactly where to take her at first. He'd need Angela to help with the case, and he'd never been to Madison's house. There was only one other option that he could think of.

Booth phrased his words carefully. "Your mom and Hodgins are stuck on a case. I don't think that they are going to make it home tonight. We're going to need the whole team on this one, and it's going to be an all nighter. And you need to do your homework and get some dinner and sleep. How'd you like to have a sleepover with Parker?"

Lucy frowned at him. "I want to talk to my Mom."

"Sorry, Squirt. She's out of cell range. That's why you couldn't get a hold of her."

"You are lying to me. You never lie to me and I don't like it. What happened to her? Is she sick? Did she get in an accident? Just tell me."

Booth made eye contact through the rear-view mirror. "Lucy, everything will be fine. I promise." It was policy to never promise a victim anything. Promises could easily be broken. Especially now that Booth had to find a way to either come up with eight million dollars or find the Gravedigger, either task seemingly impossible at the moment. And Lucy was definitely a victim in this case, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't look at those sad blue eyes, so like her mother's. He would do anything to see the brightness return, to see a smile on her face. And that wasn't going to happen until that girl saw her mother. And so he made the promise, and he meant to keep it.

Lucy leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes, a few tears slipping down her cheeks. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. And she couldn't talk to her mom, and Booth wasn't telling her the truth. Not the entire truth anyway, but there was nothing that she could do about it. So she stayed silent, trying to stem the flow of her tears.

Thirteen minutes of silence passed, Booth tapping his left foot on the floor of his SUV, and Lucy counting to one hundred in every language that she knew, an old habit for occupying time. Eventually they arrived at Booth's destination, and Booth took a calming breath before turning around to face Lucy. "Stay here, Squirt. I'll be back in a minute." He gave a half-hearted smile as he exited the SUV.

Ringing the doorbell, repeatedly, Booth tried to gather his thoughts. His mind drew a blank even as Rebecca opened her door. "Seeley, what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, I know that we aren't on the best of terms right now, but I need a favor. Can Lucy spend the night?"

Rebecca's eyes widened in surprise. "Excuse me? Why would I want my ex's partner's daughter sleeping over in my home?"

Booth ran his tongue over his teeth. "She's a little girl, who's done nothing to you. Please Rebecca. I need this."

"Why? And if you tell me that you are whisking Dr. Bones off to some hotel for the night..."

Booth cut her off, raking his fingers through his scalp. "God no, Rebecca. Bones has been kidnapped."

Rebecca's arm grabbed the side of her door, looking for support. She always knew that Booth's job involved very real danger, but she always seemed to put that out of her mind. She wasn't a fan of the stark reminder. Anything that happened to the team could also happen to the father of her child. "What?"

"It's the latest case that I've... that we've been working on. This man, he kidnaps people for ransom, buries them alive until he gets the payment. If I don't find her in less than twelve hours... Can Lucy just spend the night?"

Rebecca opened her door wider. "Go get her. And then get back on the case."

Booth gave her a quick clasp on the shoulder. "Thank you. And maybe you could keep her away from the news. This case is huge, some tool wrote a book about this guy, the media's gonna be all over this thing if it gets out. Anyway, this could all leak out, and Lucy is smart, she'll put it all together."

Rebecca nodded. "Parker will keep her distracted, I'm sure. Let me go get him. He'll be thrilled. We'll be right out."

"Thanks again, Rebecca."

"Just find your partner, Seeley. And good luck."

Booth was back at the front door in less than a minute, carrying Lucy's backpack and sports bag, while the girl put on a brave face as Parker raced over for a hug from both his father and Lucy. He only ever had sleepovers with his cousins before, at his grandparents' house. The surprise visit from Lucy and his father had him bouncing between the two, completely unaware of the tension around him.

Booth took a moment with his son, ruffling his hair, and reminding him that he was the man of the house. The small boy jutted out his chest proudly at being called a man by his father, and bounced back to Lucy, showing her how grown-up he was. He tried to tug Lucy into the house by the hand, but she shushed him and pulled her hand back, telling the boy that she would be back in a moment.

Lucy raced back to Booth pulling him into a tight hug. He gave her back a few gentle rubs and promised her once again that everything would be OK. She nodded her head and released him, trusting him to fix everything. As anxious as she was, and annoyed at Booth for hiding things from her, she still trusted him. He was her mother's partner, and he would do anything to help her if she was in trouble. She knew that for a fact.

A few more parting words and Booth headed back to his SUV and back to the case. He was on his phone before even fully closing the door to his SUV, calling for meetings and information. Lucy watched the car from Rebecca's window until the tail-lights headed from view. As soon as he was gone, Lucy put on a brave face and turned to Parker. "Want to show me your dinosaurs?"

* * *

The honk of Brennan's car horn startled Hodgins awake. Brennan gasped when she heard him move, nearly dropping the cell phone that she was trying to rig to her car's power system. He'd been silent for so long, it had made her very nervous. "Thank god I didn't kill you."

Hodgins smirked at her. "Yeah, you're a regular Dr. Quinn."

Brennan looked up from her task. "Who is that?"

"Nevermind. How long was I unconscious?"

Brennan continued to fiddle with her battery-less cell phone. "For a while. How's your leg?"

Hodgins tested his limbs, grimacing a bit at the pain, thankfully lessened by the makeshift operation. "Better. Lots better. What are you doing?"

Brennan explained her attempt to use her phone to get a signal out to their team. The two scientists discussed messages that they should send and how to preserve the phone long enough to get it to work. Eventually, Brennan handed the mineralogist a handful of 'dirt' and asked him to find something that she didn't know.

He analyzed his sample quickly and efficiently, knowing instantly that they were in coal country, also known as Virginia. A brief spat about Angela's ridiculously expensive perfume, a little more analyzing, and Hodgins' eyes lit up. "I know where we are."


	43. Funny How Time Slips Away

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Author's Note: Here we go, the second half to my incorporation of Aliens in a Spaceship. I hope it was worth the wait. Enjoy.

Chapter 42: Funny How Time Slips Away

November 9, 2006

Lucy tried to swallow past the lump in her throat, but she wasn't able to force a second bite of strawberry-covered waffle down her throat.

Rebecca frowned at the girl. "Don't you like it?"

"I'm just not really hungry." Lucy lied. Her stomach growled even as she pushed her plate a little farther away from her.

Parker held up a fork, holding a dripping bite of his own waffle. "Want some of mine? It's really good. I can share."

Lucy thanked the boy, but then shook her head. She didn't think that she could stomach all of the sticky syrup that even now was dripping onto the table between them. It was a nice gesture, but he just didn't understand the tension that Lucy felt inside. She still hadn't heard from her mother or from Booth, and with every passing minute, the knot in her stomach squeezed tighter.

Parker frowned at his own food, dropping his fork on the table, and pushing his plate away, too. "I'm not hungry, Mommy." If Lucy wasn't going to eat, then he wasn't going to eat either. Pursing her lips at Parker's protest, Lucy pulled her dish back towards herself. She cut a small bite of her breakfast, practically shoving it down her throat. She followed with several other small bites, and once Parker saw that the girl was eating, he eagerly reached again for his breakfast. It wasn't every day that his mother let him put his own syrup on his waffles. He was glad that he didn't have to waste the opportunity.

Rebecca smiled softly as she finished her own breakfast. It was strange, watching this girl interact with her son. Parker believed that Lucy hung the moon, and Rebecca had been quite amused by their behavior over the previous day. Lucy had been an exemplary house guest, helping with the preparation and cleaning up of their dinner, even convincing Parker to eat the carrots in the vegetable medley. She had helped give Parker his bath, and had then read a story to the boy, just the way his father did, using funny voices for all of the characters. Rebecca had set up an air mattress in Parker's room, and Lucy had bedded down after finishing her homework. Rebecca had woken them up in the morning only to find Parker on the makeshift bed, his teddy bear between them, and the remnants of tear tracks on Lucy's cheeks.

Rebecca had had two brief calls with Booth, the second one even grimmer than the first. Brennan only had twelve hours of air, and Rebecca glanced at her watch. According to Booth's update, that limit had been reached over an hour ago. Lucy was a sweet kid, and Rebecca could easily see why the two Booth boys had become so firmly attached. Rebecca glanced at her watch again, and silently prayed that the phone would ring, this time with good news.

Noticing that both children had emptied their plates, Rebecca reached for the dishes and smiled. "So, kids, what do you feel about playing hookie today?"

"What's hookie?" Parker asked, while Lucy's eyes widened in surprise.

"Well, you won't go to school, and I won't go to work, and we'll just stay home and have fun today."

Parker cheered at the prospect of no kindergarten, while Lucy's eyes just grew wider. Her mother never let her skip school just to have fun. Lucy only missed school when she was sick or for a very special educational experience. Then again, whatever this sleepover was, it had never happened before. And it wouldn't be lying to say that she didn't really feel like going to school anyway.

Lucy just wanted to talk to her mother, and know that everything would be alright. That was all she really wanted. But now, Parker was tugging on her arm and asking her if she wanted to play with him. Forcing a smile onto her face, she turned to the boy. "OK, Parks, hookie it is."

* * *

Hodgins laughed in relief as his carbon dioxide scrubber bubbled. Never had he been so grateful for his mind's ability to remember some basic chemistry. Brennan laughed along with him as she settled herself into the front seat.

"That gives us just long enough."

Hodgins looked up from his chemicals, "Long enough for what?"

"My next idea, which will kill us. Airbags."

"They aren't actually bags of air."

Brennan shook her head, "I'm not looking to extend our survival underground. I'm looking to blow our way out of here."

Hodgins expression was a mixture of impressed and terrified. "Using the explosives from the air bags? That could definitely kill us."

"So will doing nothing." He nodded at the simple fact. He had no way of knowing if their text message had been received or understood.

Hodgins watched Brennan work for a moment before tearing a few pages out of her book. His letter to Angela was firmly tucked into his pocket. If he ever got out of here, he was going to make sure that he told her the words that he had written. He wanted to see her face when he told her that she was everything to him. But just in case, he knew that someday she would read the words and know how he felt. Brennan deserved the same opportunity. He tapped Brennan's shoulders with the torn pages and grabbed for a pen, handing it to her as well.

"Anyone you wanna say goodbye to?"

Brennan took the paper and stared at it for a long moment. She didn't have a lot of time, she knew that, but she had to write something. She scribbled a brief note to Angela, thanking her for her friendship and reminding her of promises made years ago that included legal issues that Angela would need to take care of. She stalled on the second letter, having only written Lucy's name.

She'd always had a dangerous job, had been kidnapped and held hostage. She had thought that her life was going to end at several points in her adult life. She had had to face the very real possibility that Lucy would be left without either parent, that her own little girl would grow up like Brennan had. She knew that it wasn't exactly the same. Lucy would have Angela, and the Andrews family. There would be Russ and their beloved lab. Lucy would never be forgotten and shuffled from home to home, unwanted. She had always been very much wanted. Brennan wrote that sentiment down, and found that once she had started, it was easier to write.

And of course, Lucy would have Booth. There would always be Booth. Brennan sighed and turned to her last blank page. Hodgins had explained to her earlier that she had faith in Booth. She wasn't sure she would agree. She didn't really believe in faith. But she believed in him, in his abilities, his compassion, his integrity. She admired him, and if she was never going to see him again, she thought that he should know.

Words flowed onto the page. She didn't have time to censor or edit her writings, but she didn't care. She wasn't sure if her words adequately expressed all of her true emotions, but they would have to suffice. There was no more time to dawdle. She tucked her own letters into her pants pocket and returned to her air bag manipulations. She wasn't going down without a fight.

* * *

Booth's sniper-trained eyes scoured the dirt in front of him, looking for any imperfection in the valley of dirt in front of him. He saw nothing, and couldn't help but doubt the squints' interpretation of Brennan's text message. He continued searching, praying for something to guide him to where his partner was buried.

A puff of dirt spread through the air, followed some seconds later by the sound of the pop from whatever explosion had occurred. Booth started running toward the small crater that had formed. Somehow, despite all the factors working against them, Brennan had gotten him two signals. First, the enigmatic text message, and now, this explosion.

He found himself digging through the loose dirt, still praying that he wasn't too late. He sifted through the grit, and finally he felt something different. A familiar hand was clasped in his own. He gripped the hand and pulled. The hand was exposed, followed by an arm. Then suddenly, his partner's entire form had been pulled from it's early grave. Brennan coughed and gasped, squinting in the bright sunlight. He didn't want to let her go, but she had grabbed his jacket and told him to get Hodgins.

Booth joined the rest of the team as they continued to dig. Hodgins was pulled from the hole, looking pale and for a brief moment, Booth thought that maybe they had been too late. Then he gave a cough of his own and breathed in the fresh air. He only got one other breath, before Angela's lips were on his.

Booth shared a quick and grateful expression with Cam, and then focused again on his partner. She was dusty and unkempt, but she had never looked more beautiful to him; alive and smiling softly at him. Thinking that Angela had the right idea, he scooted closer to his partner, not caring about his now likely ruined suit. He placed one hand on each of her cheeks and leaned forward.

"Booth, not here. Not in front of... everyone."

He halted himself as he realized the wisdom of her words. They were surrounded by agents, technicians, as well as some nosy reporters. Instead, he settled for pulling her into a tight hug, not willing to release her until the paramedics approached to triage the two victims.

Brennan refused to go to the hospital, but Hodgins was practically hauled up the ravine and into a waiting ambulance, Angela never leaving his side. Booth let the technicians take over the scene, there were going to have to excavate what was left of Brennan's car, and he had no desire to watch them unearth what could have been his partner's coffin. He sent the squints home and helped Brennan into his SUV.

She seemed a little reluctant to be heading back into a confined space, but once they were alone, he was able to place a comforting hand on her thigh and hand her his cell phone. "Call Lucy. She's with Rebecca and Parker. She doesn't really know anything, but she knows something wrong. So let her know that you are OK. Do you want to shower and change first, or do you want to go straight there?"

Brennan ran a finger through her unruly hair. She had a few scrapes and cuts that she wanted to tend to as well before her daughter saw her. "I should go home first. I don't want her to see me like this." Booth nodded as he concentrated on the drive back to DC.

Brennan had been hesitant about getting the item for her daughter, but she hadn't been able to resist Angela and Lucy tag-teaming her for the phone. Now she was glad to be able to reach her daughter instantly. Lucy picked up her phone on its first ring. "Booth? Is that you? What's going on?"

"Hi Lucy, it's me."

The girl cried in disbelief. "Mom? Mom, is that really you?"

Brennan smiled at the eventual relief in her daughter's voice. "Yes, it's really me."

"What happened? Where were you? Why didn't you call me?"

"I'll explain everything to you when I see you. We're coming to get you as soon as we can."

The girl still needed reassurance. "But you're OK?"

"I'm fine. We no longer have a car, but Hodgins and I will both be fine. Please don't worry anymore."

Lucy swallowed and took her first deep breath since yesterday. She said her good-byes to her mother and Booth before hanging up the phone. She clutched the cell to her chest, and found herself crying. Her mother was fine, and her mother was coming to get her. Wiping her tears, she went in search of Parker and Rebecca, wanting to share the good news.

* * *

Rebecca watched the reunion between mother and daughter. Lucy had run outside the second that Booth's SUV pulled up and Brennan hadn't even waited for the car to come to a complete stop before she was popping open her door and exiting the vehicle.

The two women hugged for a long moment before Parker had also run outside to join in. Brennan ruffled his hair, and pulled him into a group hug with Lucy. Parker called to his dad, and soon Rebecca was watching the four people reunited. Eventually, Booth untangled himself and Parker, and let the mother and daughter have a moment to themselves. He carried his boy back to the house, dangling Parker upside down, as the boy giggled at his father's playful manner.

Rebecca continued to watch as Brennan's eyes fused with Booth's. Lucy had buried her head into her mother's chest, holding her tight. Brennan rubbed circles against her daughter's back, but her eyes were only for Booth. The two partners had a silent conversation that Rebecca couldn't hope to translate. Eventually, their eye contact was broken, as Lucy began to talk to her mother, and Brennan's focus was pulled fully back to her daughter.

Rebecca turned to Booth. "I'm sorry, Seeley."

"For what?"

"For not seeing it before. For being such a witch to your partner and Lucy. I get it now. I didn't before, but now I do. You've moved on. And I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Becs. Thanks for everything."

"Don't mention it. You guys hungry?"

Booth's stomach growled, "Starving."

* * *

Booth finished his prayer and sat back into his seat. Brennan had watched him as he used the kneeler and had bowed his head. Lucy had watched as well for a moment, but the emotion and unrest of the previous day had gotten to her, and she was soon pressed to her mother's side in a light doze.

Brennan whispered to Booth as he relaxed in the pew, "What did you ask for?"

"That's between me and a certain Saint. Although, I did ask for a little help finding The Grave Digger."

"Good move." Lucy shifted against Brennan's side, Brennan pulling her daughter a bit tighter. Brennan sniffed the air. "What's that smell?

"The candles. And I said 'Thanks.' You should try it sometime."

Brennan huffed a bit in exasperation. "If I were going to pray, I would have done it just before we set off the explosion."

Booth rolled his eyes in response. "And you didn't?"

"No. See, if there was a God, which there isn't...""

Booth interrupted her, "Shhhh. Do you see where we are?" He gestured at the church's altar.

"And if I were someone who believed he had a plan…"

"Which I do…"

"Then I'd be tempted to think He wanted me to go through something like I went through because it might make me more open to the whole….concept."

"Mhmm. It obviously hasn't."

Brennan shrugged. "I'm okay with you thanking God for saving me and Hodgins."

Booth sighed, "That's not what I thanked Him for. I thanked Him for saving…all of us. It was all of us. Every. Single. One. You take one of us away, and you and Hodgins are in that hole forever. And I'm thankful for that."

Brennan nodded as she pulled her daughter a little closer to her, "I knew you wouldn't give up." She reached out and grabbed Booth's hand, squeezing it tightly.

Booth squeezed back. "I knew you wouldn't give up."

The trio sat in silence, Lucy still sleeping next to her mother, and the partners holding hands. Eventually, Brennan rested her head on Booth's shoulder, her own exhaustion pulling her under.

"Want me to take you two home?" Booth whispered as he pressed feather-light kisses along her temple.

Brennan nodded, but they remained sitting, enjoying the peace for just a moment longer.

* * *

Brennan tucked her daughter into her bed, watching her sleep for a few moments. Brennan's hand brushed against the empty pockets of her pants. She could still feel the ghost of the words that she had written when she wasn't sure that she would survive. She had placed the letters in a jewelry box in her room, hiding them underneath some pieces that she rarely wore. Now, as she watched her sleeping daughter, her words didn't seem like nearly enough. She'd always struggled with emotions, and even now, with the help of Angela, Booth, and Lucy, she still felt inadequate.

Brennan sighed and rubbed her fingers over Lucy's forehead, assuring herself that everything would work out. The words would come when she needed them. Brennan straightened as she felt Booth's presence in the doorway. He tilted his head, indicating that he should follow her into the hallway. Pressing one last kiss to her daughter's cheek, she exited the room.

Booth pulled Brennan into the living room by the hand, finally stopping when he felt assured of their privacy. He had meant to lead up to this conversation, but he found himself blurting out, "I love you."

She raised an eyebrow, but was unable to offer any other response as he continued speaking. "I love you. I love you, Bones." Brennan started to stammer, but Booth cut her off, holding her steady, wrapped in his strong arms. "It's OK if you aren't ready to say it back. But all I could think about after the Grave Digger took you was that I had never said it to you. You and Parker and Lucy, you are the most important people in the world to me. Parker knows how I feel, and so does Lucy, but you don't. I've never told you. So I'm telling you now. I love you, Temperance Brennan. And I couldn't go one more minute without telling you that."

Brennan smiled brightly at her partner. "I know you do, Booth."

He looked at her incredulously. "You do?"

"It's not just the words. It's your actions. Everyday, you show me how much you care about me, about Lucy, about our work. I know how you feel."

Booth tried to school his grin, giving up and leaning in to press sweet kisses to her lips.

Brennan eventually stepped out of Booth's embrace. He looked confused for a moment, until she grabbed his hand, tugging him towards her bedroom. "Stay tonight."

Yes, words would come eventually, but for tonight, she would let her actions speak.


	44. The Devil Comes Back to Georgia

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Author's Note: I hope that everyone is enjoying this holiday season. I'm looking forward the next few chapters of my little story, as we have finally reached Judas on a Pole. All familiar dialogue is borrowed from that episode. Enjoy.

Chapter 43: The Devil Comes Back to Georgia

December 12, 2006

Booth hissed as a splatter of grease from the omelet pan hit him on the bare forearm. He didn't know what it was about Brennan's pans, but every time he tried to cook something in them, he burned himself. It had become something of a joke between the three of them, Booth's inability to cook with Brennan's utensils. He still had a scab on his hand from an unfortunate gravy incident.

Booth decided that next time he came over, he was going to bring over his own cookware, and show his girls that he did in fact have the ability to make a grilled cheese sandwich without injuring himself.

Booth smiled to himself as he flipped the eggs over. _His girls. Next time._ It sounded nice, even if he had to keep those particular thoughts to himself for the the time being.

"Hey, FBI Guy, want me to make some toast to go with our eggs?" Lucy's head peeked into the kitchen, dressed for the day and hungry, now that she could smell breakfast cooking.

Booth smiled, "Sounds good. Two eggs over-easy right?"

"Yeah, Orange juice?" Lucy propped open the fridge, a loaf a bread now tucked under one arm.

"Milk. What did your Mom want?" Booth grabbed some plates and slid his omelet onto one of them, cracking two new eggs into the pan.

"Oatmeal." Booth nodded as he pointed to the pot that contained his partner's preferred steel-cut, slow cooking variety. She beamed up at the agent. "You're good." Lucy turned the dials on the toaster, making sure that Booth's toast would be a little less crispy than hers, before working on pouring drinks.

Booth jumped as another bit of grease jumped out of the pan, once again stinging his arm. Lucy tried hard not to laugh, but couldn't help it when a giggle escaped. Booth frowned, but he winked at her when she made eye contact. "Real mature, Squirt."

"At least you are wearing a shirt this time." Lucy giggled again. Last Saturday, she had been awakened by the smell of breakfast cooking. She had emerged from her room to see Booth wearing only sweatpants. He was humming along to some AC/DC song that played only in his head as he spread scrambled eggs onto three different plates. He didn't even notice as Lucy discretely grabbed her mother's cell and took a picture.

She had just forwarded the picture to Angela when Booth grabbed her by the waist, twirled her around, and plucked the phone out of her grip. He had then kissed the top of her head, told her to behave and then had gone to check on Brennan. He had come back from the bedroom, fully clothed, his partner at his side, and several text messages from an overly enthusiastic artist.

Angela hadn't stopped teasing him since. She also hadn't stopped teasing Brennan, asking for more pictures of a shirtless Booth. She had only repented when Hodgins overheard the wrong part of the conversation, and had sulked for the better part of a day.

Lucy tended the toast, popping in a few slices for her mother as well. She watched Booth as he finished his own breakfast preparations, a smile on his face. He had always been around, ever since she had met him. But now, sometimes when she woke up in the morning, he was still there. One of his jackets hung in the closet, and a couple pairs of men's shoes rested by the door.

A couple of weeks ago, he had spent three nights in a row at their place. Lucy figured it had something to do with the case that they had been working on at the time. Everyone in the lab had been a bit testy, and once, she had overheard a stranger's screams coming from Angela's office. She had been glad that Booth had stuck around those nights, her mother seemed to be more relaxed when he was around, especially after a tough case.

"Hey, Booth?"

He turned from the now full plates of food. "Yeah?"

Lucy took a deep breath. She was working on expressing her feelings more, especially the important ones. She had noticed that her mother was becoming increasingly more open and she wanted to follow the example. "I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad I'm here, too." He watched her as she removed the final slices of toast and placed them on a napkin. "Squirt?"

"Yeah?"

"You'll let me know if I'm over too much, right? If you need some alone time with your mom, you'll tell me, right?"

"Sure, I'll let you know. But we both like having you here. Mom smiles a lot more when you're around. And I do too." She leaned over to him, stretching on her tip-toes in order to whisper into his ears. "And in case you didn't know, so do you."

Booth gave her a quick squeeze, "Yeah, Squirt, I know. Now let's eat." He called for his partner, letting her know that breakfast was ready.

Brennan emerged from her bedroom, still fastening her jewelry. She was greeted with a quick kiss by Booth, as he brought their breakfast dishes to the table. Lucy brought their beverages, and divided up the newspaper, leaving the sports and comics by Booth's spot.

As they sat down at the table, Booth remarked that Brennan looked particularly nice today. She frowned at him. "It's an important day, Booth."

"Really, what's going on?" He flipped over the front page of the sports section and shoveled his eggs into his mouth.

"Zack defends his dissertation today."

Booth glanced up briefly, before returning to his food. "Oh, right."

Brennan rolled her eyes, and Lucy mimicked her mother. Brennan huffed in exasperation; he always seemed to tune her out when she talked about academia. "This is a very important day for Zack. Years of hard work have gone into this one morning. His entire professional career and my reputation are being questioned today."

Booth continued to focus on his food, pushing eggs around his plate, but a small smirk appeared on his face, and his eyes flicked to the coffee table, where a bouquet of flowers sat in a vase, with a card propped against it. Brennan gasped a bit, and stood from the table, approaching the gift.

"How did you know that I liked daffodils? I never told you that. Lucy, did you?" Brennan's voice trailed off as her fingers brushed against the soft petals.

Lucy smiled at Booth. "I had nothing to do with it. That was all him. I didn't even know that he snuck out this morning."

Booth continued to read his paper, trying to act nonchalant. "And you say I never listen."

Brennan stared at him thoughtfully for a moment, a teasing smile appearing on her face. "Well, I'm sure that I've mentioned that spending money on cut flowers is wasteful. And the amount of pesticides that are used by commercial growers is unhealthy both for the workers and the environment."

Booth ignored her lecture, he could tell that she was pleased with his gesture. "You're welcome, Bones. Now eat your oatmeal before it gets cold."

Brennan returned to her seat, Booth's note still in her hand. "Thank you for my flowers, Booth. And the card." Her eyes glowed bright, as her glance met Booth's. Booth's smile widened as she continued to watch him.

The shutter sound on Brennan's phone went off. Lucy smirked as she sent Angela a picture of what Lucy referred to as Booth's 'moony-face.' She knew that the artist would love it.

"Bones, you've got to stop leaving that thing just laying around." Brennan merely shrugged and took another bite of her oatmeal.

* * *

Booth burst into the conference room; he was a man on a mission. He barely noticed Zack sitting by himself as five academics grilled the young man from across a table.

"Hey, Bones. Come on. We've got a body, went up like a roman candle." Brennan had to school her expression. Now was not the time for an interruption by Booth. She flicked her eyes toward her student, and Booth waved. "Hey, Zack! How's it going?"

The student's shoulders sagged a bit. "So far, they don't like me."

Booth attempted to pull Brennan out of her chair. "Shocker. Come on. Let's go."

"Booth, I'm in the middle of something." Her voice lowered so that she was speaking only to him. "You know that this is important."

"I know, Bones. But, real life murder and mutilation versus academic clap trap, it's no contest." At one professor's sigh of exasperation, Booth turned to the man. "I'm sorry, no offense." Brennan elbowed him, she was now usually able to tell when he wasn't being sincere in his comments.

The professor eyed the partners warily. One never turned down an opportunity to be on a student's committee when it was one of Dr. Brennan's students. They all appreciated a fine mind, and Brennan's students were always the finest. And one couldn't help hoping that somehow Dr. Brennan or her student would slip, and you would have the upper hand, just once. It never happened, but one could always hope. Now might be the perfect opportunity to take the forensic anthropologist down a peg. The professor gave a dour smile, "This committee can carry on without you, Dr. Brennan."

Brennan nodded. Zack was prepared, he could handle anything that the committee asked him. She grabbed her bag and followed Booth out of the room. She paused to pat Zack on the shoulder. "Zack, just answer the questions." Booth echoed the sentiment, only without the pat on the back.

Brennan slapped Booth's arm as the door shut behind them, hearing the tail end of a very disapproving committee member's comments. "This couldn't have waited?"

"Well it could of, but then you wouldn't have been able to examine the scene yourself. The FBI is already swarming. Apparently, one of the techs threw up when he saw the body."

Brennan frowned at that information. "I don't want them compromising my crime scene."

He smiled, knowing that he had her attention fully on the case now. "So I did the right thing, coming to get you?"

"Yes, of course. Let's go."

* * *

Booth continued to chat with Brennan about Zack and the case as they made their way to a hotel rooftop and Brennan did her preliminary observations of the charred ruins of what had once been a middle aged man.

Booth made his own observations as Brennan investigated the body, "He's a stoolie." Brennan was confused for a moment, thinking that Booth was still talking about her student. Booth pointed the man who had been barbecued on the roof. "Our victim. Ya know, he's a rat. Snitch."

Brennan frowned and squinted at the body, "What makes you say that?"

"His guts got spilled. Alright, spill your guts."

She nodded. "Very literal."

"Yeah. Hung up there like a scarecrow on a rooftop of a hotel used to house witnesses, it's a warning." Booth shivered inwardly, it was quite a message.

Brennan continued her analysis, "Oh look. There's something jammed down his trachea." After pulling a few samples, and taking a few pictures, she was satisfied with her initial analysis and allowed the techs to prepare the body and other evidence to send to the Jeffersonian.

They left the crime scene quickly, Brennan eager to get back to the lab, and Booth eager to leave the crime scene. He had a bad feeling about this case, and he shivered again as he got into his SUV.

His feelings were confirmed when Brennan's phone rang. She expected it to be Zack with an update about his defense. Instead, Russ' name appeared on her screen. A bit puzzled, Brennan answered the call.

"Hey, Tempe. I'm on my way to see you."

Brennan's mouth twitched. "Now isn't a great time, Russ. Booth and I were just assigned a case, I'm going to be busy the next couple of days. Maybe we can plan something for over Christmas. I know Lucy is excited to see the girls again."

Russ cut her off. "Tempe, this can't wait. I just got a phone call."

"So?" It made no difference to her who Russ talked to.

He took a deep breath before continuing. "It was from Dad. He says that we're in danger."

"Meet me at the lab." Booth just looked on in worry as Brennan abruptly hung up her phone. The pit in Booth's stomach deepened further. Yes, this case was definitely going to be bad, very bad indeed.


	45. Get In Line, Brother

Disclaimer: I still don't own Bones, but I'm still pretty obsessed.

Author's Note: OK, I'm a terrible person. I've left you hanging for so long. I'm sorry, I never intended to wait so long, but every time I sat down to write, nothing got typed. Half of this chapter has been sitting around for months. This was my worst fear, that I would start something that I couldn't finish. I'm going to try harder, because I do want to finish this story, and tell others. Hopefully, you are still along for the ride.

* * *

Chapter 44: Get in Line, Brother  
December 12, 2006

Brennan breezed into her office, Booth close at her heels. She stopped short upon seeing Russ seated in her office chair, and Booth skidded into her. He started to apologize, but she didn't even seem to realize that he had bumped into her. She was too busy glaring at her brother.

Russ quickly stood from the chair, but the gesture did not seem to relax the anthropologist at all. Instead of calling him out for taking over her space, she was focused completely on their father. "Dad called you? You're sure it was him?"

Russ nodded, "He said 'You and your sister are in danger' and he hung up."

Brennan glanced back at Booth, surprised that he was standing so close to her, "I spend half my time with a sniper-trained FBI Agent. I feel safe."

Russ frowned a bit, she needed to understand that she was in danger just like he was. "Tempe, I know someone is watching me."

"What's your evidence?"

"I can feel it on the back of my neck. You spend some time in jail, you develop a sixth sense." Russ reached his hand and rubbed the spot that could sense when someone was watching him. Even now, the fine hairs bristled under his touch. Brennan scoffed at her brother's melodramatic flair, but Booth's tense body posture behind her made her re-evaluate her position. If even Brennan could tell that Booth was anxious, then perhaps she should put some credence into what her brother was saying. "Maybe you should stay with me for a few days."

"No, Tempe. I have work and I have Amy and the girls. And you have Lucy at home. I don't want to intrude."

Brennan smirked, the part of her that was still an annoying little sister slipping through her adult exterior, "What about your sixth sense?" Russ protested as she teased him. She laughed and questioned his objection.

"You can't not believe in something one second and then use it against me in the next."

Brennan smiled again, knowing that she had a house guest for the evening. She dug her keys out of her pocket and tossed them to her brother. "It's a long drive. You can start fresh tomorrow and I've got cold beer in the fridge."

Booth finally found his voice, taking a step away from his partner. "Just don't drink the Moroccan beer, it tastes like earwax. I've got some good stuff in the back, just push aside the tofu. How you doing, Russ?"

Russ reached over to shake Booth's hand, finally remembering his manners. "OK, Booth. And you?" Russ' eyes flicked between his sister and her partner. He couldn't help but notice that as the men released hands, Booth had stepped back to stand beside Brennan, still infringing on her personal space, that she didn't seem to mind. Nor did she chastise Booth for hinting that he had items at her place or for poking fun at her food choices.

Russ smirked at the agent, pleased to note that their relationship seemed to have grown since the summer. Booth's gaze was now fixed on Russ, annoyed at the knowing look. Booth finally replied that he was fine, and Russ gave a cheeky grin as he pocketed his sister's keys. One friendly wave later, Russ had exited Brennan's office and the partners watched him leave.

Booth turned to face his partner, determined to get the upper hand again and a bit of mischief in his eyes. "I still make him nervous, don't I?" Brennan stared at him mutely and he sighed, clearly she was still pre-occupied. He held out his hands and waited for her to grab them, happy when he felt her chilled fingers make contact with his own. "Come on, let's go." He gently tugged her towards the door.

* * *

Brennan fidgeted in the passenger seat of Booth's SUV. She was unable to relax after examining Garrett Delaney's apartment. For someone who was supposed to be a brilliant scientist, she was having a difficult time staying objective. "Bones, you're going to have to calm down. You don't want Lucy to see you like this."

"How am I supposed to calm down, Booth? Delaney had a secret room filled with pictures of Russ. There were pictures of Amy and the girls with him. How do we know that he wasn't following us last summer? That he wasn't following us yesterday? That he wouldn't still be following us if somebody hadn't gutted him and set him on fire?"

She had a point, but Booth kept his own anxiety over the photographs tightly leashed. "Seriously, Bones, we'll figure this out. And nobody is going to hurt you or Squirt on my watch. I promise you that. Now, I'm going to go grab Lucy and then I will take you home, where you will see that your brother is safe and sound. You'll have dinner and make some hot chocolate, and then get some sleep. We'll pick up the case again in the morning. Sound like a plan?"

At Brennan's nod, Booth reached up to cup Brennan's cheek and pulled her in for a gentle kiss. He then slipped out of the car and jogged up to Madison's front door, making polite small talk with Madison's mother while Lucy gathered her things. The girl practically dragged Booth back to the SUV, skipping and recounting her day's adventures. The dimness of the car allowed Lucy to chatter the whole way back to her home, unaware of her mother's now somber mood. Quickly, but not soon enough, Booth pulled to the front of Brennan's apartment building.

Lucy finally stopped her happy ramblings, when she realized that Booth was not taking over his usual parking space. A frown deepened on her face when Booth turned around in his seat to say goodnight. Lucy batted her wide blue eyes at him. "You're not coming up with us?"

Booth hated to see her disappointment, but he wanted to give Brennan some quality time with her brother. "Sorry, Squirt. Not tonight."

"But…" Lucy whined.

Brennan turned to her daughter. "No 'Buts,' Lucy." Lucy released a put-upon sigh, but had no other comment.

She dawdled getting out of the SUV, her previous good mood now completely shattered. She liked it when Booth came up for dinner. She could usually convince him to play a game with her, or at least weasel an extra half hour before bedtime. He made Lucy and her mother laugh, and he taught Lucy about rock music and sports and television shows.

Lucy's dearest unspoken wish was to make the arrangement permanent. She often dreamed of a nice house, with a big backyard and a father always around. Clearly tonight wasn't the night to broach the subject. Booth nudged her along as she continued to get lost in her thoughts. "Out you go, kid. And don't pull that leaving a textbook in the backseat so that I have to come back and drop it off and then get suckered into one of your schemes to postpone your bedtime."

Lucy scrunched her face in annoyance, "I only tried that twice."

"No, you only succeeded twice. You've tried several times since then, but I've gotten smarter." He called to his partner who was still gathering her own items. "See, Bones. I'm evolving."

Brennan gave a crooked half smile, "Yes, I am very proud of you, Booth."

Booth poked his head around one more time, "Hey, Squirt. There's a surprise upstairs for you. It's been waiting for you all day."

"Yeah, whatever, FBI Guy, I'm sure." But, the smile was back in the girl's voice and she questioned her mother, "Did we finally get a dog?" Lucy had been begging for one for ages now. It fit in perfectly with her imaginary life.

The doctor gave a warning expression to the agent. "We did not get a dog. Come along, Lucy. It's getting late."

Booth could see Lucy giving Brennan her list of reasons why an animal would be a good investment, the list growing less logical over time. Booth chuckled to himself as he saw Brennan's look of frustration; at least they had taken her mind off of the case for a few moments. Perhaps they should get a dog. Parker would love one, and who could resist a little ball of fur? Booth quickly started his car; he was starting to think dangerous thoughts again, wanting more than Brennan was willing to give. He said a quick prayer thankful for his continuing patience and asking for help with the case.

* * *

Brennan was rubbing her temples as she stepped off of the elevator with her daughter. Lucy was now extolling the virtues of Madison's golden retriever, but Brennan wasn't listening. The tension of indirectly hearing from her father and the case at hand was wearing on her. Although she wouldn't admit it, Brennan kind of wished that Booth had come up with her. She didn't need a man's protection, but she could admit that she felt safer when Booth was near, when his arms were wrapped around her.

"Mom, are you even listening to me?" Lucy had finally exhausted her list and had been waiting for her mother's counterargument.

"No, I am not." Lucy wasn't even fazed by her mother bluntness, but decided that a change in subject was in order. "So if my surprise isn't a dog, what is it?"

"Why don't you knock on our door and see." Lucy raised an eyebrow in confusion, and did as she was told. "Uncle Russ," the girl cried as Brennan's brother opened the door, "what are you doing here?" She jumped into his arms for a hug.

Russ questioned his sister wordlessly, but she just shrugged her shoulders. She had no answers, not for herself or for her brother. He squeezed the girl and placed her on the ground. "You know, just thought I'd pop in. I was in the neighborhood."

"Are the girls here?"

"Nope, just me. Hope that's all right?"

"I guess so," she replied in mock consternation. "But next time, they better be here. Aunt Angela bought me new sparkle nail polish and we are going to do manicures."

"Sure thing, kiddo. Now are you hungry? I raided the fridge. Dinner's on the stove. Is Booth parking the car? I made extra."

Brennan set her things down and shrugged off her coat. "No, he went home."

Russ smirked at his sister, "It's because I still make him nervous don't I?"

Lucy laughed, "Yeah right, Uncle Russ. What did you make me? I'm starving."

A few hours later, Lucy was reluctantly put to bed. She had many questions but had received no answers. Eventually, frustrated and cranky, she had gone to her room in a huff.

Russ turned to his sister, "She's growing up so fast. She's just like you at that age."

Brennan sipped at some tea, brooding over her daughter's petulant behavior. "I'm not sure if that is a compliment or an insult."

"It's a compliment. My little sister was always so stubborn, so opinionated, so sure of things. She didn't take crap from anyone. She still doesn't. I'm glad that Lucy takes after her."

Brennan gave a brief smile, which faded quickly. "We need to talk."

Russ sighed and rubbed his finger through his hair. "I figured. What did you find?" Brennan grabbed her bag and pulled out a folder. Without ceremony she dropped the contents of the folder on the table in front of her brother.

"What's this?"

"Photographs found at our murder victim's apartment. They were in a secret room."

Russ flipped through the pictures, "This is me at work. Me and Amy. This was just the day before yesterday. Dad was right. Someone's watching."

"Booth says that this is worse than watching. He told me that this is hunting."

"Hunting." Russ repeated the word numbly.

Brennan nodded, "Booth says that there are ranges, that he was picking out a spot from which to shoot you."

The man continued to stare at the pictures, "So what do I do now? The hunter's dead. The hunt is over, right?"

Brennan shook her head. "Booth says that you shouldn't tell anyone that you're here. That you should tell Amy if anyone calls for you, that she doesn't know where you are."

"Do you usually do what Booth says?" Russ couldn't help the smirk that flashed across his face.

"I try not to, but he's usually right. Especially about these things. It's rather infuriating actually. Anyway, you should stay with me until we find out why Delaney intended to kill you.

"How are you going to do that?" Russ looked up from the table into his sister's steely gaze.

"By figuring out who killed him."


End file.
